Raw milk is milk that is unpasteurized. There is a process to ensure the health and safety of dairy products across Canada, not just Alberta.
Can you buy raw milk in Alberta? You can not buy, sell or give away raw milk in Alberta or anywhere in Canada. Raw milk is unpasteurized and has not met the health and safety standards of the various agencies that regulate the dairy industry.
Raw milk from any livestock such as cow, goat, water buffalo etc, is unlawful to sell or even give away for free.
Not only is it illegal for a dairy producer to offer the raw milk to the market, they also have to meet other minimum standards. The health of the animal that creates the raw milk is also regulated.
Raw milk is to be pasteurized and processed before it can be offered commercially to the general public.
It is perfectly legal to drink unpasteurized (raw) milk from your own livestock. For example, many farmers drink raw milk from their own cows. There are also ways to pasteurize milk from your own animals.
Dairy Farmers do not have just one simple government body to deal with. There are several different agencies that oversee every step of the process from the equipment, the handling of the livestock and of course, the final product.
In Summary
- You can not buy raw milk in Alberta. It is unlawful for a Dairy producer to sell or give away unpasteurized milk.
- This restriction applies to all milk producing livestock, not just cows.
- Several agencies and regulations that oversee the dairy industry, such as the Dairy Industry Act.
- It is legal to drink raw milk from your own livestock.
