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Florida Dairy Facts
The Dairy division issues permits and conducts inspections for Florida dairy facilities. As of June 30, 2007, these facilities included:
146 dairy farms
18 milk processing plants
64 frozen dessert manufacturers
18 single service milk container manufacturers
41 milk distribution depots
8 milk receiving, transfer, and wash stations
18 milk hauling services
In addition to its inspection program, the division collects and tests samples from dairy farms and processing plants for compliance with established product quality standards. These samples are collected by field inspectors and tested in a division laboratory for excessive bacteria and somatic cells and for the presence of antibiotics, added water, and other impurities.
The Florida Dairy Industry.
Florida dairy farms are large, milking an average of about 900 cows each. In spite of the hot, humid climate, these cows average about 16,417 pounds of milk per year or about 5 gallons per day per cow. Even though the state's 132,000 dairy cows rank it first in the Southeast and 16th nationally, Florida still imports approximately 30% of its milk--and the proportion of imported milk is growing. Florida's 18 Grade A milk processors include Winter Park Dairy, four Dean Food plants, two Publix plants, one Winn-Dixie plant and two plants owned by National Dairy Holdings Group, LP.
Dairy Inspections
The Dairy Division's 12 field inspectors are stationed from Miami to Pensacola. They make regular visits to dairy farms and processing plants to inspect, consult, and collect samples. During the past year, dairy inspectors performed 1,769 inspections at dairy farms and plants in Florida. They also collected 11,138 samples of milk and milk products. They made 1,550 inspections of milk transport tankers and bulk milk haulers
Monitoring Antibiotics in Milk
The industry has established a rigorous program to monitor milk for contamination with residues of antibiotics commonly used to treat cows on dairy farms. During the year 60,029 transport tankers representing more that 2.8 billion pounds of milk were checked for antibiotics in Florida. Only 9 (1 in 6,670) of these tankers, were found to contain traces of antibiotics. All 9 loads were dumped. Nationally about 1 in 2,615 tankers of milk are found to have antibiotic contamination. Florida dairymen do an exceptional job of preventing antibiotic residues in their milk.
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