(a) No milk processor issued a license under section 22-229 shall accept for processing milk containing drug residues or other inhibitory substances at or above the tolerance levels recommended by the United States Food and Drug Administration. The commissioner shall prohibit the sale or distribution of such milk, packaged milk or milk products that are found to contain such drug residues or other inhibitory substances at or above the tolerance levels recommended by the United States Food and Drug Administration. The milk processor responsible for accepting for processing milk at or above tolerance levels recommended by the United States Food and Drug Administration shall stop the sale of such milk and cause such milk to be destroyed in a manner acceptable to the commissioner. The commissioner may: (1) Suspend the milk processor's license until the drug residues or other inhibitory substances are below the tolerance levels, (2) initiate a product recall of the milk and cause it to be destroyed in a manner acceptable to the commissioner, or (3) in the event of a second violation within any twelve-month period, revoke the milk processor's license and initiate action to assess a civil penalty pursuant to section 22-7.

(b) Whenever milk from a milk producer issued a permit under section 22-172 is found to contain drug residues or other inhibitory substances at or above the tolerance levels recommended by the United States Food and Drug Administration, the commissioner shall prohibit the sale or distribution of such milk. The milk producer responsible for producing such milk shall stop the sale of the milk and cause the milk to be destroyed in a manner acceptable to the commissioner. The commissioner may: (1) Suspend the milk producer's permit until such time as the drug residues or other inhibitory substances are below the tolerance levels, and (2) in the event of a third violation within any twelve-month period, the commissioner may revoke the milk producer's permit and initiate action to assess a civil penalty pursuant to section 22-7.

(c) Whenever milk from a retail raw milk producer issued a permit under section 22-173a is found to contain drug residues or other inhibitory substances at or above the tolerance levels recommended by the United States Food and Drug Administration, the commissioner shall prohibit the sale or distribution of such retail raw milk. The retail raw milk producer responsible for the production of such retail raw milk shall stop the sale of the retail raw milk and cause the retail raw milk to be destroyed in a manner acceptable to the commissioner. The commissioner may: (1) Suspend the retail raw milk producer's permit until such time as the drug residues or other inhibitory substances are below the tolerance levels, (2) initiate a product recall of the retail raw milk and cause it to be destroyed in a manner acceptable to the commissioner, or (3) in the event of a second violation within any twelve-month period, revoke the retail raw milk producer's permit and initiate action to assess a civil penalty pursuant to section 22-7.

(P.A. 85-345, S. 4; P.A. 91-312, S. 31; P.A. 92-255, S. 4, 8; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(e); P.A. 04-189, S. 1; P.A. 05-175, S. 14.)

History: P.A. 91-312 replaced the penalty of a fine of not more than $500 for the first violation and not more than $2,500 for any subsequent violation with provision for the assessment of a civil penalty in accordance with Sec. 22-6g; P.A. 92-255 amended Subsec. (a) to provide a civil penalty for violation of Sec. 22-203a and added a new Subsec. (b) to provide for prohibition on receipt of milk found to contain drug residues and procedures for enforcement; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 replaced Commissioner of Agriculture with Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004; P.A. 05-175 replaced former section with new Subsecs. (a) to (c) re acceptance by milk processors of milk containing drug residues or other inhibitory substances above tolerance levels, re prohibition of sale of milk at or above tolerance levels and re prohibition of sale by retail raw milk producer of milk at or above tolerance levels, respectively.