(a) As used in this section, (1) “certified milk laboratory” means a facility at which confirmatory and final findings are performed regarding biological, chemical, physical or other examination of milk and milk products, for the purpose of providing information on the sanitary quality, identification of contaminants or amount of any substance prejudicial to the public health, (2) “milk screening laboratory” means any facility used for the purpose of detecting the presence of antibiotic residues or other inhibitory substances in milk and milk products received by a milk dealer or producer dealer, (3) “component testing laboratory” means any facility used for the chemical, physical or other testing of milk, where the results of such tests are used in part or in whole as the basis for payment to a producer.

(b) No person, firm or corporation shall operate a certified milk laboratory, milk screening laboratory or component testing laboratory in the state of Connecticut without first obtaining a valid permit for such operation from the Commissioner of Agriculture. Permit application shall be made on forms provided by the commissioner and shall be renewed annually by the thirtieth day of June. Upon receipt of any such application or renewal application, the commissioner, or the commissioner's designee, shall make such inspections and investigations as the commissioner deems necessary and shall deny a permit when, in the commissioner's opinion, the operation of the laboratory would be detrimental to the public health. The commissioner shall establish a permit fee schedule pursuant to section 22-128a.

(c) Each registered certified milk laboratory, milk screening laboratory or component testing laboratory shall comply with the standards for milk laboratories set forth in the Grade-A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance Recommendations of the United States Public Health Service/Food and Drug Administration and shall be subject to periodic inspection by the commissioner, or the commissioner's designee, including inspection of all records necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.

(d) This section does not apply to any milk laboratory operated by a state agency or to retail raw milk producers or intrastate milk dealers.

(e) The Milk Regulation Board may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to carry out the provisions of this section.

(f) The commissioner may revoke or suspend a permit issued under this section or impose a civil penalty, in accordance with section 22-7, for a violation of the provisions of this section.

(P.A. 05-175, S. 2; P.A. 06-19, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 06-19 made technical changes in Subsecs. (a)(1) and (c), effective May 2, 2006.