HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 2628

                      As Passed House:

                      February 8, 2000

Title:  An act relating to colostrum milk.

Brief Description:  Modifying prohibitions on colostrum milk.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Agriculture & Ecology (originally sponsored by Representatives Linville and G. Chandler).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Agriculture & Ecology:  1/28/00, 2/1/00 [DPS].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  2/8/00, 85-12.

           Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

$Authorizes colostrum milk from cows that is processed as a nutritional supplement to be sold for human consumption.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE & ECOLOGY

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 13 members:  Representatives G. Chandler, Republican Co-Chair; Linville, Democratic Co-Chair; Cooper, Democratic Vice Chair; Koster, Republican Vice Chair; Anderson; B. Chandler; Delvin; Fortunato; Grant; Reardon; Schoesler; Stensen and Wood.

Staff:  Kenneth Hirst (786-7105).

Background:

It is unlawful to sell or deliver colostrum milk for consumption by humans.  However, an exemption from this prohibition is provided for colostrum milk from cows made available to persons with multiple sclerosis.  Colostrum milk may be sold or delivered for this purpose if the initial sale is accompanied by a form signed by a physician certifying that the intended user has multiple sclerosis and that the user releases the provider of the milk from liability resulting from the consumption of the milk.  The colostrum milk provided for this purpose is exempt from meeting the standards for grade A raw milk, but must be from a cow that was tested for brucellosis within 60 days of calving.

Summary of Bill:

Colostrum milk may also be sold or delivered for processing by a licensed food processor or a milk processing plant as a nutritional supplement in accordance with the federal Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act and the product of the processing may also be sold.  The colostrum milk used for this purpose is exempt from meeting standards for grade A raw milk, but must be pasteurized or otherwise treated to kill harmful organisms.

Colostrum milk used for multiple sclerosis need no longer come from brucellosis tested cows, but the colostrum milk used for either multiple sclerosis or for processing as a nutritional supplement must come from a licensed dairy producer.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  (Original Bill):  Colostrum power is already being imported and sold for this use.  Colostrum milk is already being process as a veterinary biologic.

Testimony Against:  None

Testified:  (In support)  (Original bill)  Darcy Weed, La Belle Associates, Incorporated.

(Comments)  (Original bill)  Mary Beth Lang, Department of Agriculture