Testing & Safety Standards
What are Idaho requirements for testing milk as a raw dairy?Idaho does not require routine milk testing for licensed raw milk dairies. Aside from annual TB and Brucellosis testing of the herd, the state does not establish ongoing milk testing standards. This is one reason raw milk sold in Idaho carries a warning label on every container.
What do we do to assure quality and safety of our product?Simply put—we do everything we can. Every batch is tested before it leaves the farm for coliforms, E. coli, and standard plate count. In addition, we utilize an independent laboratory for pathogen screening, including Listeria, Salmonella, and Campylobacter.
What are acceptable raw milk standards of those tests?At Loleta Farms, our goal is to maintain test results well below commonly recognized raw milk quality benchmarks. Our rolling three-month average for coliforms is less than 3 per mL, and our standard plate count averages approximately 2,200 per mL—less than half of commonly recognized raw milk quality benchmarks. We believe quality should be measured, verified, and shared openly with our customers.
How do you chill your product?Freshness starts immediately after milking. Our milk is rapidly chilled to 38°F within two hours of milking and maintained at 36°F throughout storage. During delivery, our refrigerated van is kept between 34°F and 36°F to maintain a consistent cold chain from farm to store. We use temperature monitoring devices throughout the process to ensure our milk remains properly refrigerated every step of the way.
Our Commitment to Quality: What happens if or when our standards aren't met?If a batch of milk does not meet our quality standards or our cooling protocols, it does not get sold—it gets dumped. We believe in transparency, accountability, and doing things the right way, even when it is costly. Cutting corners is never worth compromising the trust our customers place in us.
Animal Health and Well-BeingThe health of our cows is at the heart of everything we do. Through quality nutrition, clean facilities, pasture access, and daily hands-on care, we work to ensure our Guernsey herd thrives. Healthy, well-cared-for cows are the foundation of the milk we proudly provide our community.