Certificates of Free Sale


About Certificates of Free Sale


A Certificate of Free Sale and Sanitary Origin is required by many foreign governments to allow entry of milk and dairy products into their country.

A Certificate of Free Sale and Sanitary Origin certifies that:

  • California-produced milk and dairy products are subject to inspection and supervision by state inspectors and meet all applicable requirements of the California Food and Agricultural Code, the California Code of Regulations, and the Code of Federal Regulations.
  • Milk and dairy products manufactured in a California facility are from milk derived from dairy farms in California.
  • California is classified as accredited free by USDA for bovine brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis.
  • The U.S. and California are recognized as free of Foot and Mouth Disease and Rift Valley Fever.
  • The animals from which the product is obtained are not fed ruminant origin meat and bone meal and that there are animal health regulations that forbid the feeding of ruminant origin meat and bone meal to ruminant animals.
  • A Certificate of Free Sale and Sanitary Origin certifies that California-produced milk and dairy products are freely and without qualifications sold, used and approved for human consumption in the State of California and in the United States of America.

To Request a Certificate of Free Sale and Sanitary Origin:

Instructions for Completing the Application for Certificate of Free Sale and Sanitary Origin

Complete form SO-72-271 . This form can be saved using Adobe Reader 8 and emailed back to MDFSCert@cdfa.ca.gov along with copies of the product label(s).

There is a minimum of five working days from the date of receipt to issuance of a certificate.

There is a $76 charge for each certificate.


Contact us for more information:
California Department of Food and Agriculture
Animal Health and Food Safety Services, Milk and Dairy Food Safety Branch
1220 N Street
Sacramento, California 95814
Telephone: (916) 900-5008
Fax: (916) 900-5337
or send an email to: cdfa.Milk_and_Dairy_Food_Safety_Info@cdfa.ca.gov