The V.I. government will immediately begin enforcing a controversial law prohibiting the sale of pasteurized milk with a pull date more than 10 days from pasteurization, according to a statement from Licensing and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Andrew Rutnik.
Rutnik said in the statement that all importers and retailers of milk must provide the director of Consumer Protection Services certification of the pasteurization date on the invoice of milk brought into the territory.
"Any product found on the shelves 10 days after the pasteurization date is to be removed immediately," the statement said. "Failure to do so will result in a fine for each item."
In August, the Source reported that Trans-Caribbean Dairy Corp., which owns St. Croix's Island Dairies and St. Thomas Dairies had sought enforcement of the long-ignored law, partly in response to what it considered unfair competition from stateside dairies. At the time, Rutnik called the law "anti-consumer."
Sen. Roosevelt David was said to be reviewing the law in September, but no legislative action has been taken. David was unavailable for comment Wednesday.
The statement from Licensing and Consumer Affairs also noted that the law refers to pasteurized milk only; other milk products are not subject to the 10-day expiration rule.
