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Interstate Milk Shippers List (IMS) List for Printing Archive

October 2024 - Interstate Milk Shipper List (PDF - 5MB)

Sanitation Compliance and Enforcement Ratings of Interstate Milk Shippers List

Contact Information

This IMS List is provided as an on-line guide to assist regulatory program management and others who utilize the IMS List to stay current by providing continuous updates. The IMS List is also posted on FDA's Website as a Portable Document Format (PDF) file quarterly by the FDA Milk Safety Team at the bottom of this page.*

Electronic Format Subscription

As announced in the July 2005 issue of the IMS List, due to budget constraints, the printed version of the IMS List has been discontinued. Beginning in January 2006, it is being made available on FDA's web site in PDF format with notification of availability given by an electronic mailing list.

Rules for Inclusion on the IMS List

Interstate milk shippers who have been certified by Milk Sanitation Rating Officers (SROs) as having attained the identified milk sanitation compliance and enforcement ratings are indicated on the following IMS List. These ratings/certifications are based on compliance with the requirements of the latest revision of the USPHS/FDA Grade "A" Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO) and were made in accordance with the procedures set forth in the latest revision of the Methods of Making Sanitation Rating of Milk Shippers and the Certifications/Listings of Single Service Containers and/or Closures for Milk and/or Milk Products Manufacturers (MMSR).

*Proposal 301 that was passed at the 2001 NCIMS Conference, held May 5-10, 2001, in Wichita, Kansas, and concurred with by FDA states: "Transfer Stations, Receiving Stations and Milk Plants must achieve a Sanitation Compliance Rating of 90 or better in order to be eligible for a listing on the IMS List. Sanitation Compliance Rating scores for Transfer and Receiving Stations and Milk Plants will not be printed on the IMS List". Therefore, the publication of a Sanitation Compliance Rating score for Transfer and Receiving Stations and Milk Plants will not be printed on the IMS List.

*Proposal 316 that was passed at the 2003 NCIMS Conference, held April 16-May 1, 2003 in Seattle, WA, and concurred with by FDA authorized the NCIMS Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Listing of milk plants, receiving stations and transfer stations. The HACCP Listing shall be made by a Milk  Sanitation Rating Officer who has been certified to conduct HACCP Listings by a USPHS/FDA representative. Milk plants, receiving stations and transfer stations must achieve an acceptable HACCP Listings in order to be eligible for a listing on the IMS List.

*Proposal 305 that was passed at the 2013 NCIMS Conference, held April 19-24, 2013 in Indianapolis, IN, and concurred with by FDA, authorized the NCIMS Voluntary International Certification Program (ICP) and the utilization of Third Party Certifiers (TPCs), certified by USPHS/FDA, to list foreign milk shippers and laboratories on the IMS List.

*Proposal 309 that was passed at the 2015 NCIMS Conference, held April 24-29, 2015 in Portland, OR, and concurred with by FDA, authorized single-service containers and/or closures for milk and/or milk products manufacturing plants to be eligible for certification/listing on the IMS List that they shall have a Sanitation Compliance Rating of eighty (80) or above.  It also stated that the publication of a Sanitation Compliance Rating score for single-service containers and/or closures for milk and/or milk products manufacturing plants will not be printed on the IMS List.

THIS IMS LIST SUPERSEDES ALL IMS LISTS WHICH HAVE BEEN ISSUED; HERETOFORE, ALL PRECEDING IMS LISTS AND SUPPLEMENTS THERETO ARE VOID.

The rules for inclusion on the IMS List were formulated by the official voting representatives of State Milk Regulatory and Rating Agencies and FDA who have participated in the conferences of the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS). These rules are as follows:

  1. The interstate milk shipper's milk supply shall be under the routine supervision of an official Regulatory Agency. Supervision shall be based on the procedures and standards of the USPHS/FDA PMO, MMSR and Procedures Governing the Cooperative State-Public Health Service/Food and Drug Administration Program of the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (Procedures).
  2. Ratings of interstate milk shipper's supplies shall be conducted by Milk Sanitation Rating Officers who have been certified by a USPHS/FDA representative. Ratings to be IMS listed shall include the sanitation compliance ratings of the producing dairy farms, receiving stations, transfer stations, and milk plants and the enforcement rating of the supervising Regulatory Agency.
  3. Ratings shall be made on individual milk shipper's supplies, unless the milk supply is part of an area rating, which has been awarded a Sanitation Compliance Rating of 90% or above more on the basis of an official rating. Individual ratings and area ratings shall be made at a frequency of not less than once every 24 months. All ratings shall be reported and listed, as applicable, to the nearest whole number.
  4. The interstate milk shipper's supply shall be under a program of routine laboratory control which has been accredited by the State Laboratory Control Agency as substantially complying with Standard Methods for the Examination of Dairy Products, published by the American Public Health Association (most current edition), and with provisions of the PMO, and the Evaluation of Milk Laboratories (EML). Officially designated laboratories accredited by the Laboratory Control Agency may perform this routine laboratory control.
  5. USPHS/FDA shall periodically conduct check ratings or HACCP audits, if applicable, of the sanitation compliance and enforcement status of IMS listed milk shippers to assure the validity of published IMS listings. They also shall certify the rating, and laboratory procedures of the reporting Regulatory/Rating Agency and Laboratory Control Agency, respectively.

USPHS/FDA will not include on the IMS List the ratings of any milk shipper's supply unless the written signed permission of the milk shipper concerned has been obtained by the Rating Agency.

Those shippers who have correctly completed Form FDA 2359i "Interstate Milk Shipper's Report" and which is received by the Milk Safety Team, HFS-316, College Park, MD will be included on the IMS List

  1. Certifications/listings of U.S. manufacturers of single-service containers and/or closures for milk and/or milk products shall be conducted by Milk Sanitation Rating Officers who have been certified by a USPHS/FDA representative; or a Third Party Certifier’s (TPC’s) Milk Sanitation Rating Officer (SRO); or a Certified Single-Service Consultant (SSC) who has been certified by a USPHS/FDA representative for foreign manufacturers of single-service containers and/or closures for milk and/or milk products, which measures the degree to which the provisions of Appendix J. Standards for the Fabrication of Single-Service Containers and/or Closures for Milk and/or Milk Products of the PMO are being complied with by the single-service containers and/or closures manufacturer for inclusion on the IMS List.
  2. The certification/listing is based on compliance with the requirements of Appendix J. of the PMO and is conducted in accordance with the procedures set forth in the MMSR.  A single-service containers and/or closures for milk and/or milk products manufacturing plants shall obtain a Sanitation Compliance Rating of eighty (80) or above to be eligible for an IMS listing.  All certifications/listings shall be reported to the nearest whole number.
  3. USPHS/FDA shall periodically conduct audits of the Sanitation Compliance Rating of IMS listed single-service containers and/or closures for milk and/or milk products manufacturers to assure the validity of published IMS listings.

USPHS/FDA will not include on the IMS List the certification/listing of any single-service containers and/or closures for milk and/or milk products manufacturer unless the written signed permission of the manufacturer concerned has been obtained by the Rating Agency or SCC, as applicable.

Those single-service containers and/or closures for milk and/or milk products manufacturers who have correctly completed Form FDA 2359d “Report of Certification (Fabrication of Single-Service Containers and/or Closures for Milk and/or Milk Products)” and which is received by the Milk Safety Team , HFS-316, College Park, MD will be included on the IMS List.

We are limiting the company's name to the name of the parent organization or its subsidiary, but not both. If the preferred name is not indicated on the Form FDA 2359i or Form FDA 2359d, as applicable, the editor will select the name which is considered appropriate

The use of the IMS List is entirely optional and its sole purpose is to assist those States who wish to utilize this information in the furtherance of their own milk sanitation regulatory program.

National Uniform Coding System for Packaging Identification of Milk Plants

The voluntary national uniform coding system, developed by the National Labeling Committee and recommended for utilization by the ninth NCIMS (1963), is a system for the identification of milk plants at which milk and/or milk products are packaged by means of nationally recognized State and plant code numbers identified on the package. It is exclusively applicable to milk and/or products pasteurized in a milk plant other than shown under the trade name, distributor's names, or private label. If this voluntary national uniform coding system is not used, the name and address of the milk plant at which pasteurization took place shall be identified on the cartons or containers. Refer to Section 4 of the PMO.

Since the start of this program, the numerical code for State identification has been utilized. Public Law 89-306, October 30, 1965, authorized the Secretary of Commerce "to make appropriate recommendations to the President relating to the establishment of uniform Federal automatic data processing standard." The numerical code for the States developed under this Public Law is known as the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) and is utilized on the IMS List.

Each State may assign individual identification numbers to milk plants within their State. When a State assigned number is indicated on Form FDA 2359i, it is published in the IMS List following the name of the shipper.

If the name and address of the milk plant, at which pasteurization took place is not imprinted on the container, or included on the label proper, labeling of a container may include the name and main address of the manufacturer, processor, or distributor, plus the code number that identifies the State and milk plant in which the milk and/or milk product was pasteurized.

 FIPS Numerical Code for States

Filtered Results
State FIPS Code Number
Alabama 01
Alaska 02
Arizona 04
Arkansas 05
California 06
Colorado 08
Connecticut 09
Delaware 10
District of Columbia 11
Florida 12
Georgia 13
Hawaii 15
Idaho 16
Illinois 17
Indiana 18
Iowa 19
Kansas 20
Kentucky 21
Louisiana 22
Maine 23
Maryland 24
Massachusetts 25
Michigan 26
Minnesota 27
Mississippi 28
Missouri 29
Montana 30
Nebraska 31
Nevada 32
New Hampshire 33
New Jersey 34
New Mexico 35
New York 36
North Carolina 37
North Dakota 38
Ohio 39
Oklahoma 40
Oregon 41
Pennsylvania 42
Puerto Rico 43
Rhode Island 44
South Carolina 45
South Dakota 46
Tennessee 47
Texas 48
Utah 49
Vermont 50
Virginia 51
Washington 53
West Virginia 54
Wisconsin 55
Wyoming 56

Example: 37-275, 37 indicates the milk plant is located in North Carolina and 275 identifies a milk plant within the State.

It is recommended that the part of the code indicating the State of pasteurization always consist of two digits followed by a hypen; for example, 05- .

For foreign IMS listed milk shippers approved by Third Party Certifiers (TPCs) the first two (2) letters identify the ISO Country code, which precede the two (2) digit FIPS province/state code in which the milk shipper is located followed by the TPC assigned individual identification for the milk shipper. For Example: MX-06-0030 where MX is Mexico, 06 is Chijuahua and 0030 is the TPC assigned individual milk shipper identification.

Sanitation Compliance and Enforcement Ratings of Interstate Milk Shippers

Sanitation Compliance and Enforcement Ratings of Interstate Milk Shippers - Domestic

(Dynamic --May be updated daily when new data is available)

Sanitation Compliance and Enforcement Ratings of Interstate Milk Shippers - Foreign Countries
(Dynamic --May be updated daily when new data is available)

Sanitation Compliance and Enforcement Ratings of Interstate Milk Shippers - Product Codes

Sanitation Compliance and Enforcement Ratings of Interstate Milk Shippers - Abbreviations

AMPI Associated Milk Producers Inc.
ASSN Association
BTU Bulk Tank Unit
CRY Creamery
CTY County
DCA Dairymen Creamery Assn.
DFA Dairy Farmers of America
DMCI Dairymen Marketing Coop Inc
DMS Dairy Marketing Services
DYMEN Dairymen
DY Dairy
DYS Dairies
ED Environmental Department
FCC Farmer's Coop Creamery
FDFA Florida Dairy Farmers Assn
FM Farm
FMS Farms
GP Group
HD Health Department
ICMPA Independent Coop Milk Producers Association
LOL Land O'Lakes
MGF Morning Glory Farms
MMI Milk Marketing Inc.
MMPA Michigan Milk Prods. Assn.
NDA Northwest Dairy Assn.
NFO National Farmers Organization
PH Public Health
PRODS Producers
RS Receiving Station
SDA State Dept. of Agriculture
SDL State Dept. of Livestock
SHD State Health of Department
STA Station
SVF Swiss Valley Farms
TR Transfer Station

Certified Manufacturers of Single-Service Containers and/or Closures for Milk and/or Milk Products

Certified Manufacturers of Single-Service Containers and/or Closures for Milk and/or Milk Products - Domestic

The names of domestic manufacturers of single-service containers and/or, closures for milk and/or milk products who have been certified by Milk Rating Agencies as having obtained a Sanitation Compliance Rating of eighty (80) or above as being in satisfactory compliance with the requirements of Appendix J. Fabrication of Single-Service Containers and/or Closures for Milk and/or Milk Products of the PMO are listed on the following pages.

This listing of certified single-service manufacturing plants includes only the names of those plants reported to the Milk Safety Team as having been certified by Milk Rating Officers. If furnished to FDA, the coding or identification system used by the manufacturer will be found following the name of the plant, city and country where it is located.

Space limitations compel us to limit the company's name to the name of the parent organization or the name of the division, but not both. If the preferred name is not indicated on FDA Form 2359d, Report of Certification (Fabrication of Single-Service Containers and Closures for Milk and Milk Products) the editor will select the name which is considered appropriate.

(Dynamic --May be updated daily when new data is available)

Certified Manufacturers of Single-Service Containers and/or Closures for Milk and/or Milk Products - Foreign

The names of foreign manufacturers of single-service containers and/or, closures for milk and/or milk products who have been certified by Single-Service Consultants or International Certification Program Third Party Certifiers’ Milk Sanitation Rating Officers identified on the IMS List as having obtained a Sanitation Compliance Rating of eighty (80) or above as being in satisfactory compliance with the requirements of Appendix J. Fabrication of Single-Service Containers and Closures for Milk and Milk Products of the PMO are listed.

This listing of certified single-service manufacturing plants includes only the names of those plants reported to the Milk Safety Team as having been certified by Milk Sanitation Rating Officers or Single Service Consultants, as applicable. If furnished to FDA, the coding or identification system used by the manufacturer will be found following the name of the plant, and city and country where it is located.

Space limitations compel us to limit the company’s name to the name of the parent organization or the name of the division, but not both. If the preferred name is not indicated on FORM FDA 2359d, Report of Certification (Fabrication of Single-Service Containers and Closures for Milk and Milk Products) the editor will select the name which is considered appropriate.

*Proposal 305 that was passed at the 2013 NCIMS Conference, held April 19-24, 2013 in Indianapolis, IN, and concurred with by FDA, authorized the NCIMS Voluntary International Certification Program (ICP) and the utilization of Third Party Certifiers (TPCs), certified by USPHS/FDA, to list foreign single-service containers and/or closures for milk and/or milk products manufacturers on the IMS List.

Certified Manufacturers of Single-Service Containers and/or Closures for Milk and/or Milk Products - Codes, Expiration Date, and Listing Type

Milk Laboratories Approved by Federal and State Agencies and Third Party Certifiers

Milk Laboratories Approved by Federal and State Agencies and Third Party Certifiers - Domestic

Milk laboratories and the laboratory procedures performed, which have been found to be in substantial compliance with the EML and FDA/NCIMS 2400 Forms (most current edition) are listed on the following pages. Central Laboratories (Cen./A) and Vitamin Laboratories (Vit./F) and procedures are approved by a Milk Laboratory Evaluation Officer (LEO) of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Official (Off./A), Commercial (Com./B), Dairy Industry (Ind./C) and Certified Industry supervisor (CIS./D) laboratories and procedures are approved by FDA certified Laboratory Evaluation Officers (LEOs).

The IMS List includes the laboratory names, locations, numbers assigned by the FDA, expiration dates, the dates of the last two split samples participated in, and the procedures for which the laboratories are approved for.

(Dynamic --May be updated daily when new data is available)

Milk Laboratories Approved by Federal and State Agencies and Third Party Certifiers - Foreign Countries
(Dynamic - Maybe updated when new data is available)

Milk Laboratories Approved by Third Party Certifiers - Lab Procedures, Codes, Lab Number Codes and Lab Classification

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