This Saturday, January 19, UC Davis will host its annual “Goat Day,” an opportunity for goat owners, veterinarians and students to learn about a variety of goat health and management topics. There will be updates on current goat research and other issues important to dairy, meat, fiber and companion-goat owners.
For CDFA, it’s an important opportunity to reach out to a growth sector of producers. More and more people are raising goats in California, and there seems to be increasing demand for artisan-style goat milk cheese – and perhaps a shortage of goat milk necessary to produce that cheese. We want to make sure producers are up to speed on milking-goat food safety issues and current laws that apply to those providing milk and dairy products to others, especially through commercial transactions. Those laws are the same as apply to other milk and dairy food producers in California.
Dr. Stephen Beam, chief of CDFA’s Milk and Dairy Food Safety Branch, will attend Goat Day to provide an overview on legal requirements and will be available to answer any questions goat owners may have.
This is an area of food production that reinforces the growing diversity of farming and ranching in California. We are pleased to be a part of it and will facilitate goat owners however possible.