PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Milk and milk products, chapter 16-101 WAC, adopts documents by reference covering requirements for the cooperative interstate milk shippers program.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: Chapter 15.36 RCW.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The Washington state department of agriculture is proposing to adopt, in accordance with RCW 15.36.021, the 2007 revision of the Grade A pasteurized milk ordinance (PMO), 2007 revision of the methods of making sanitation ratings of milk shippers, 2007 revision of the procedures governing the cooperative state conference on interstate milk shippers, and 2005 revision of the evaluation of milk laboratories. Adoption of the latest revisions will ensure that the milk and milk products produced in this state meet the latest standards and will assist in continued acceptance of Washington state milk and milk products shipped to other states.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The Public Health Service/Food and Drug Administration's recommended Grade A PMO is an ordinance to regulate the production, transportation, processing, handling, sampling, examination, labeling, and sale of Grade "A" milk and milk products including buttermilk and buttermilk products and condensed and dry milk products. It is the basic standard used in the voluntary cooperative state-PHS/FDA program for the certification of interstate milk shipments, a program participated in by all fifty states, the District of Columbia and United States trust territories. The National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS) in accordance with the memorandum of understanding with the Food and Drug Administration recommends at its biennial conference changes and modifications to the Grade "A" PMO. The ordinances are the requirements to participate in this program.
Process for Developing New Rule: The department will distribute the proposed rule amendments to the regulated industry and the Washington state department of agriculture advisory committees for comment and input.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication. Any comments on the proposed rule making will be accepted through September 19, 2008, and should be directed to Claudia Coles, Program Manager, Washington State Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 42560, Olympia, WA 98504-2560, phone (360) 902-1905, or e-mail WSDARulesComments@agr.wa.gov.
August 5, 2008
Jerry Buendel
Assistant Director