Interstate Milk Freedom Act of 2026

The Interstate Milk Freedom Act of 2026 would prohibit federal agencies, departments, and courts from interfering with the interstate transportation of unpasteurized milk and milk products that are packaged for direct human consumption. Currently, the FDA has maintained a ban on raw milk interstate commerce since 1987. If enacted, this bill would allow unpasteurized milk to move between states as long as both the state of origin and destination state have legalized such sales, and the milk meets certain safety conditions. The bill would not apply to milk products packaged for further processing like pasteurization.

The bill has bipartisan support, with Democratic Representative Chellie Pingree of Maine serving as co-lead sponsor alongside Republican sponsor Thomas Massie of Kentucky. The legislation does not preempt state laws, meaning individual states could still maintain their own regulations regarding unpasteurized milk sales within their borders. The bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process and has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.