How to Interpret Dairy Manufacturing Facility Codes in New York

Since 1965 the Food and Drug Administration has required dairy manufacturers to follow federal codes on their packaging. The codes provide an easy way for consumers to track where their milk comes from. Consumers who choose to shop and eat locally can especially benefit from this knowledge, as can everyone in the rare case of a problem at a specific manufacturing plant.

Things You'll Need

• List of dairy facility codes

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Instructions

• 1

  Find the facility code on your dairy product. It is located usually towards the top of the carton, on the lid or the label. It is made up of two parts: a two-digit number followed by other numbers, letter and may contain a dash.

• 2

  Look up the first two numbers, which indicate the state where the product originated, at the FDA's Interstate Milk Shippers List. New York's code is 36.

• 3

  Match the remaining numbers and letters of the code to the list of manufacturers, also available at the FDA website.

• 4

  Answer additional questions about the sanitation or production at the specific facility at the FDA's Interstate Milk Shippers website, which has lists of types of products as well as most recent marks for safety and compliance.