Which agency(s) enforce the PMO in the United States?

• A. The U.S. FDA along with state and local regulatory agencies.
• B. The U.S. EPA.
• C. The U.S. FDA alone.
• D. International agencies only.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that enforcing the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance is a shared responsibility between federal guidance and state/local enforcement. The PMO is a model set by the U.S. FDA through the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments to establish sanitation and pasteurization standards for dairy facilities. States adopt the PMO into their laws and are the ones who license dairies, conduct inspections, collect samples, and enforce compliance within their jurisdictions. Local regulatory agencies carry out routine inspections and day-to-day enforcement tasks. The FDA’s role is to provide the framework, oversee interstate shipments, and support state programs with guidance and consistency checks. Environmental agencies (like EPA) aren’t involved in PMO enforcement, and international agencies aren’t responsible for domestic dairy regulation. That combination of federal guidance plus state and local enforcement best explains how the PMO is actually enforced.