Montana Lawmaker Seeks to Remove 12 Day Rule Pertaining to Milk

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — A western Montana lawmaker who has been in the grocery business for 30 years has introduced a bill that seeks to overturn a rule that requires milk be removed from Montana grocery store shelves 12 days after it is pasteurized.

The Independent Record reports (http://bit.ly/1zvKOIU ) Republican Rep. Greg Hertz of Polson is sponsoring House Bill 399, which would eliminate the "sell-by" date required on milk packaging and allow producers to stamp milk with a "use-by" date that is typically 21 days after milk is pasteurized.

He says his bill would lead to lower milk prices and less waste.

The Montana Livestock Board has rejected the rule change and the Montana Supreme Court found the board properly exercised its rulemaking authority.

Hertz's bill is scheduled to be heard by the House Human Services Committee on Wednesday.