Meadow Gold Billings in process of meeting milk ordinance compliance

“Department of Livestock has reviewed the corrective actions and will reinspect to verify all noncompliant issues have been corrected or are in the process of being corrected,” Meredith stated. “If the noncompliant issues have been addressed, DOL will withdraw the notice and there will be no suspension of license or stoppage of production at this time.”

The Livestock Department regularly conducts inspections, Meredith said, including milk testing and monitoring of consumer complaints. It will continue to monitor any additional consumer complaints related to the premature spoilage issue reportedly seen in Yellowstone County recently and will take additional actions “if appropriate and necessary.”

“We do not believe the closure ― temporary or permanent ― of a dairy processing facility in Montana would benefit the industry, dairy producers, retailers, or consumers,” Meredith said. “However, it is the responsibility of milk processing facilities to produce safe, wholesome milk for the people of Montana and we will apply regulatory enforcement to ensure the standards set forth by state law and the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance are met.”

The department's inspection of the Meadow Gold Billings processing facility at the end of July found the facility to be noncompliant of federal Pasteurized Milk Ordinance, which subsequently led to the Livestock Department issuing a Notice of Proposed Suspension on July 31. The facility is required to respond within 48 hours of the notice, Meredith explained, and reply either detailing efforts to meet compliance or to schedule a hearing with the department to plead their case.

Meadow Gold Billings opted to take corrective action.

“Milk has to be safe. We want to keep consumers safe. It’s our job to enforce that,” Meredith told the Gazette over the phone on Wednesday. “If a facility is producing milk that isn’t safe, we will shut them down, but it would have a significant impact locally.”

While places could still source milk from out of state, figuring out an alternative milk supply “would be seriously challenging,” he said.

Locally produced milk is split between three milk processing plants in Montana, located in Billings, Bozeman and Great Falls. Meredith said it would likely be the small, mom and pop shops that would be particularly impacted by a milk disruption.

“Things like that happened during COVID. “The last thing we want is for the dairy industry in Montana to be harmed."