Proposed Board of Health Regulations Could Hurt Foxboro Family Farm

A family farm that has been in business for centuries could close if the Board of Health passes new regulations for unpasteurized dairy products.

At 7:45 p.m. tonight, the board will hold a public hearing proposed by board member Eric Arvedon to discuss the rules and regulations relative to the sale and distribution of unpasteurized raw milk.

The discussion is expected to involve whether the town should continue to allow the sale of unpasteurized milk and the regulations if the sale is allowed.

The new regulations would effect Lawton’s Farm on North Street which has sold raw milk since 2007.

Farm owner Edward Lawton told the Foxboro Reporter that the farm’s survival  could be threaten by the proposed regulations.

While 17 states have a total ban on the sale of raw milk, Massachusetts state law allows towns to make their on regulations.

Less than half of all towns in Massachusetts allow the sale according to the Reporter.

In the regulations, the milk could only be sold on the farm and cannot be resold off the property. There are also regulations for record keeping that includes a list of transactions for up to one year and collecting one composite sample of unpasteurized milk each day. The previous 14 days of samples must be kept frozen and the farm will provide samples to the board of health if requested.

Penalties for the infractions include a permit suspension for up to 30 days, a suspension for up to 60 days for the second infraction, and possibly permanent revocation for the third infraction.

To read the draft of the proposed regulations, click here.