Montana Moves to Suspend Meadow Gold Plant License

The Montana Department of Livestock issued a Notice of Proposed License Suspension and Opportunity for Hearing to the Meadow Gold milk processing plant in Billings on July 31. The action follows multiple inspections that revealed repeated violations of the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance, the federal standard for Grade A milk production. Inspectors documented sanitation and contamination issues, including the presence of mold, dirty equipment, and residue buildup.

These regulatory moves come after consumers throughout the state reported milk spoiling well before printed sell-by dates. Although the parent company, Dairy Farmers of America, previously claimed earlier problems had been corrected, follow-up inspections revealed additional concerns. State officials stated that while they identified multiple issues of noncompliance, they have not determined the exact cause of the premature spoilage with 100 percent certainty.

Despite the license suspension process, the department has not issued a product recall and reports no credible evidence of illness linked to the spoilage. Production at the plant has continued except during periods required for maintenance and inspections. Meadow Gold, licensed as DFA Dairy Brands Fluid LLC, and Dairy Farmers of America are currently working to correct the identified violations.