Dairy licences and inspections
Last updated on February 28, 2024Monitoring the food safety standards for raw milk produced in British Columbia is an important component of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food’s dairy program. This task is accomplished through inspection and licensing of dairy farms and bulk tank milk graders, milk quality testing, and providing technical support to address food safety issues.
Consumers can be sure they are getting high quality, safe and nutritious dairy products. Because of the extensive testing and quality checks unique to the dairy industry, milk that makes its way from licensed BC dairy farms to the store shelf is fresh, good tasting and wholesome.
Quality checks on every B.C. dairy farm
The Milk Industry Act sets the requirements and standards for the industry. The Milk Industry Standards Regulation, outlined within the Act, provides the framework for all regulatory activities.
Every dairy farm is inspected and licenced before it can produce milk. To ensure approval, the farm must achieve an adequate inspection score and have adequate manure storage, housing and milk storage capacity for the number of milking cows on the operation. Once fully licensed, a farm is inspected as needed to ensure compliance with the regulations.
The certified farm must meet the provincial standard of quality milk production and premises. This includes all milking equipment, milking procedures, milking parlour, barn, and everywhere the cows go must be kept clean and well maintained.
Raw milk quality testing
Every time raw milk is picked up at a dairy farm, a milk sample is taken by a licensed Bulk Tank Milk Grader, and is sent to our provincially designated laboratory and tested for antibiotic residues, bacteria content, somatic cell content, water adulteration, and milk components such a butter fat and protein. Dairy producers are required to meet milk quality standards as per the Milk Industry Standards Regulation, or they are subject to penalties being applied to their monthly milk payment. . The money collected by this penalty program goes to the Dairy Industry Development Council.
For more farm quality information, please contact the Office of the Chief Veterinarian.
Bulk tank milk grader program
Before milk can be picked up, it must be inspected and graded by a licensed bulk tank milk grader. Every bulk tank milk grader must pass a written, field and odor exam, and is re-licensed every year.
It is the grader's responsibility to ensure the milk is cold (below 4 C), smells fresh and looks clean. They take a milk sample from the farm tank at the time of every pick-up. This milk sample is then taken to a certified lab where it is tested.
Learn more about bulk tank milk grader licensing:
- Bulk Tank Milk Grader Handbook for British Columbia (PDF, 1.4MB)
Please submit your completed bulk tank milk grader application to the Animal Health Centre.
3-A Sanitary Standards covers the sanitary aspects of automotive transportation tanks for milk and fluid milk products.