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Raw Milk – Outbreak Response

Program Manager: Ben Thomas, [email protected], 801-982-2263

Raw milk products are subject to risks not found in pasteurized dairy products. In the event of an illness outbreak, an epidemiological and environmental investigation will be conducted. If an epidemiological investigation finds probable cause to implicate a raw for retail dairy in a milk-borne illness outbreak, the permit may be suspended until the dairy passes milk testing and inspection standards. 



Epidemiological investigation:

Health officials investigate illnesses. An outbreak is when at least two people’s illnesses are linked to a common source. It typically takes health officials at least 11 days to identify an outbreak.

    1. The patient becomes ill and visits a healthcare provider for testing and treatment.
    2. If the patient tests positive for a reportable illness, the results are reported to health officials and the patient’s sample may be sent to the Utah Public Health Laboratory for additional testing (e.g., whole genome sequencing).
    3. Health officials gather epidemiologic data by contacting patients and asking them about their activities and the foods they ate before they got sick.
    4. Based on epidemiologic or laboratory evidence, if health officials identify an outbreak linked to the same source of raw milk products, they notify regulatory officials at the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF).

Environmental investigation:

After being notified by the Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), UDAF staff will conduct an inspection of the raw milk dairy to identify violations and may initiate a cease and desist order. UDAF will sample the implicated products as part of their investigation and require corrective actions from the producer or suspend their permit if necessary. 

Raw milk dairy permit suspension and reinstatement:

Raw for Retail Dairy Permits may be suspended for failure to comply with regulatory requirements or meet testing standards. If monthly samples fail to meet testing requirements three times in a five-month period, UDAF may suspend the raw for retail permit. For additional information see R70-330-7.

If a permit is suspended, it is the responsibility of the raw milk dairy to take steps to correct any issues that may have lead to the outbreak or failed test and contact UDAF when the facility is ready to have a dairy inspector take new raw milk samples. A dairy’s permit may be reinstated when 3 consecutive samples meet testing criteria and pertinent violations are resolved. If more illnesses are identified, the permit may remain suspended or be suspended again. 

UDAF inspectors will perform an initial inspection within 3 business days of a permit being suspended.

Testing may take a minimum of 4 business days. Dairies will be notified of testing results within 1 business day of UDAF receiving results. If testing is expected to exceed 5 business days, UDAF inspectors will update dairies at least every 3 business days.

Testing criteria:

Penalties for unpermitted sales of raw milk:

Raw milk may only be sold by permitted dairies. Apart from exemptions listed here, the sale of raw milk in Utah by non-permitted dairies, individuals, or businesses is illegal and punishable by fines of up to $5,000 per citation.

Additional information can be found in R70-330 Raw Milk for Retail

Report a concern:

If you suspect a raw milk producer is not complying with Utah’s regulations or if you experience illness after consuming raw milk, contact the UDAF Dairy Program at ([email protected], 801-982-2263) or report an illness to igotsick.health.utah.gov.


For information for consumers and to find a list of permitted dairies in Utah, visit here.

For information for dairies, including how to apply for a Raw for Retail Dairy Permit, visit here.