“Every facility that produces dairy products in the State of New Mexico must hold a current Grade A Permit.”
( Dairy Establishment Sanitation Act)
Please follow the steps below to obtain permit for a Grade A Dairy Farm or Dairy Plant:
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- Contact the New Mexico Environment Department to obtain a discharge permit – this process may take a while so start early
- Contact the NMDA Dairy office at 505-361-2840 to be put into contact with the Dairy Inspector in your area
- Dairy Farms - submit a detailed plan drawn to scale of the building with the following information:
- Location and size of rooms, doors, and windows
- Location and type of lighting
- Location of drain pipes, grade of floors to drains
- Materials to be used for floors, walls, and ceilings
- Ventilation system types and locations
- Location and size of water heater, wash vat, and water well
- Location of toilet facilities and waste disposal systems
- Location and size of milk cooling equipment and details, including slope, of milk pipeline systems
- Location of hand sink with hot and cold running water
- Fill out a dairy application and mail to the dairy office for processing
- Dairy Plants - submit a detailed plan drawn to scale of the building with the information from above (for dairy farms) and also include the following:
- Separate rooms for a) pasteurization, processing, cooling and bottling, and b) washing of return items
- Location of sanitary storage of containers, equipment, caps, and parchment paper etc.
- Location and type of bottling, packaging, and capping equipment
- Location and type of pasteurization equipment
- Location of three-compartment wash vat
- Location of floor-sink drains
- Processing room cannot be directly connected to a domestic dwelling
- Must have a two door separation between parlor and processing room and restroom and processing room
- Cleaning facilities for bulk transport tanks (if applicable)
Other contacts you may find helpful in pursuing a Grade A Permit:
- New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Construction Industries Division – Building Inspectors
- New Mexico Dairy Producers Association – State producers association
- New Mexico State University Ag Extension Dairy Specialists – Dairy Specialists
- Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (2019 revision) – Regulations governing Grade A Dairies and includes drawings and guidelines
- New Mexico Office of the State Engineer – Water Rights
- Dairy Farmers of America – Dairy Coop
- Select Milk Producers – Dairy Coop
- Horizon – Organic Milk Buyer
- FDA Food Facility Registration – Milk plants must register with the FDA. They must also meet Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requirements once a Grade A permit is issued.
- FDA Milk Guidance Documents – Including the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance.
Dustin Cox, Division Director
ddaps@nmda.nmsu.edu
505-383-9299