Dairies & Milk

ISDA’s Dairy Bureau provides oversight on the dairy industries within Idaho. This oversight helps to ensure safe milk and milk products for consumers.

ISDA’s Dairy Bureau is also responsible for the protection of surface and groundwater from dairy farm by-product, accomplished through routine inspections of environmental handling and containment facilities, land application sites, and review and approval of new or modified systems.

The programs encompass sanitary inspections of dairy farms, bulk milk haulers, processors, manufacturing and processing equipment, warehouses, stores and businesses where milk and dairy products are manufactured, stored, sold, or offered for sale.

In addition to state requirements, ISDA works with several federal agencies through cooperative agreements or memoranda of agreements to protect the environment and ensure safe food products. State law requires dairy farms to develop nutrient management plans (NMPs) on all licensed dairy farms. NMPs aid in determining appropriate applications of nutrients to cropland.

ISDA is responsible with enforcement of the Agriculture Odor Management Act, Title 25, Chapter 38, Idaho Code, as it relates to Idaho dairy farms. Dairy farms that emit odors in excess of those normally associated with agriculture would be cited by ISDA thereby requiring the facility to develop an Odor Management Plan.