HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The Montana Board of Livestock has voted unanimously to continue its requirement that milk sold In Montana be marked with a "sell-by" date no more than 12 days after it was pasteurized.

Lee Newspapers of Montana reports Wednesday's decision went against a hearing examiner's finding that there was no health reason for the12-day "sell-by" date. Attorney John Sullivan of Helena said the rule results in the destruction of "perfectly good milk."

Sullivan recommended last October that milk processors be allowed to set their sell-by or use-by dates, based on their own testing of how long their milk stayed fresh. A 21-day "use-by" date is common in other states.

The board's decision followed a 2008 lawsuit by Core-Mark International, a Spokane, Wash.-based distributor that sought to have Montana's "sell-by" rule declared unconstitutional.

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