Find raw milk.

The three-step way to find raw milk

1. Check your state. Open the raw milk laws by state page. Find your state. The status tells you which sales models may be available and what you need to confirm before buying.
2. Open the live directory. farm-to-door with the raw milk filter pre-applied. Allow location, or type your ZIP. The map shows working dairies in your area.
3. Open a farm card. Read the practices, fulfillment options, and contact path. Reach out directly to the farmer.

Common raw-milk sales models in the US

1. Licensed retail sales. Available only where current state rules permit stores to sell raw milk for human consumption.
2. On-farm direct sales. Some states allow licensed producers to sell at the farm; requirements and allowed products vary.
3. Direct delivery or neighborhood drops. These are available only where the applicable state and local rules allow them.
4. Herd share or cow share. Some states recognize membership or ownership-share models, while others restrict or do not recognize them. Confirm the current state rule and agreement.
5. Animal-feed labeling is not a human-consumption route. The FDA warns that raw milk marketed for pets or animals is not safe for people.

Full breakdown on the where to buy raw milk page.

What to ask before you buy

• Are the cows on pasture year-round?
• What breed? Is the herd A2/A2 tested?
• How long has the family been farming this land?
• Can I bring my kids and visit the parlor?
• Do you make raw cream, raw butter, raw kefir, or raw aged cheese as well?

A farmer who welcomes a visit and talks for an hour about the cows is exactly who you want. Real raw-milk farms are proud of their animals and their pasture. The food and the farmer are inseparable.

Where the directory is densest

farm-to-door covers the United States. Coverage is densest in the Northeast (NY, NJ, CT, MA, VT, NH, ME, PA) where on-farm and herd-share rules are most active, and is expanding nationwide. If you live in a retail-legal state and cannot find a listing, browse the directory anyway: many dairies sell at farmers markets, co-ops, and health food stores that are not always indexed by general directories.

If you cannot find raw milk in your state

Five options, in order of effort:

1. Check the current rules for your state and any neighboring state before traveling; do not assume a sale or interstate transport is permitted.
2. Consider a herd share only if your state recognizes that model, and review the agreement and current requirements first.
3. Use the directory's "On-farm pickup" filter and accept a longer drive once a month.
4. If you want cheese, look for raw-milk cheese that meets applicable federal and state rules. The federal 60-day minimum for certain raw-milk cheeses does not make every product or sale universally lawful or risk-free.
5. Encourage local farmers to apply for the relevant license. Several states (Iowa, Arkansas, North Dakota, West Virginia) have legalized direct sales recently due to constituent pressure.