Butterfat tests can now be done in-house, not just by government inspectors

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) now allows dairy plants to test butterfat levels themselves or use an approved third-party lab. This means plants no longer need a USDA inspector to perform every butterfat test, aligning with how the industry already operates.

For decades, government inspectors had to be physically present to perform butterfat tests, a bottleneck that slowed down dairy production. This change removes that specific constraint, allowing plants to integrate testing into their regular operations. It means dairy producers can process and grade their products more quickly, potentially reducing costs and speeding up market delivery.