Scope and Content: In Massachusetts the State Board of Agriculture (1852) was successively replaced by the State Dept. of Agriculture (1918), the Dept. of Agriculture (1919), and the Dept. of Food and Agriculture (1975). The department is administered by a commissioner under the supervision and control of the Board of Agriculture. –In 1934 Massachusetts established the Milk Control Board within the Dept. of Agriculture; in 1941 the Division of Milk Control was established under the supervision and control of a reconstituted Milk Control Board, replaced by the Milk Control Commission in 1953. Both bodies were abolished in 1983. The Board and its successors were to designate and establish market zones for milk products; to supervise and regulate minimum prices, production, purchase, receipt, sale, payment, and distribution of milk; to require licensing of milk producers and distributors; and to control surplus milk products; also establish, issue, enforce and revise orders, thus establishing and detailing regulations for the milk industry. –The Milk Regulation Board was responsible for rules and regulations for inspection of dairy farms, grades of milk, and suitability of milk supplies from other states. Established per St 1932, c 305, it was comprised of the commissioners of the Dept. of Public Health and the Dept. of Agriculture as well as the Attorney General (who was removed per St 1967, c 230). St 1946, c 496 added the chairman of the Milk Control Board (Milk Control Commission as of St 1953, c 604) to the Milk Regulation Board, also making him chairman.  Per St 1974, c 806, s 8, the board was placed with the now-named Dept. of Food and Agriculture, within the newly-created Executive Office of Environmental Affairs. The board was disbanded by St 1977, c 940, which required that milk standards and labeling comply with federal law, and which gave responsibility for rules and regulations to the commissioner of the Dept. of Public Health.
Notes: Scheduled as: Division of Milk Control administrative files. Formerly classed under (M-Ar)EN2.04:  Massachusetts. Division of Milk Control
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