1611 Cows arrive for Jamestown Colony.
1624 Cows reach Plymouth Colony.
1841 First regular shipment of milk by rail--Orange County to New York City.
1856 Pasteur experiments start.
Gail Borden received first patent on condensed milk from both U.S. and England.
1878 Continuous centrifugal cream separator invented by Dr. Gustav De Laval.
1884 Milk bottle invented by Dr. Hervey D. Thatcher, Potsdam, New York.
1886 Automatic bottle filler and capper patented.
1890 Tuberculin testing of dairy herds introduced. Test for fat content of milk and cream
perfected by Dr. S.M. Babcock.
Sherman Anti-Trust Act establishes federal anti-monopoly policy.
1892 Certified milk originated by Dr. Henry L. Coit in Essex County, New Jersey.
1895 Commercial pasteurizing machines introduced.
Thistle milking machine introduces intermittent pulsation.
1908 First compulsory pasteurization law (Chicago) applying to all milk except that from
tuberculin tested cows.
1911 Automatic rotary bottle filler and capper perfected.
1914 Tank trucks first used for transporting milk.
1919 Homogenized milk sold successfully in Torrington, Connecticut.
1922 Capper-Volsted Act codifies agricultural cooperatives.
1932 Ways of increasing Vitamin D in milk made practicable.
First plastic coated paper milk cartons introduced commercially.
1937 Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act establishes federal milk marketing orders.
1938 First farm bulk tanks for milk began to replace milk cans.
1942 Every-other-day milk delivery started (initially as a war conservation measure).
1946 National School Lunch Act signed by President Truman.
Vacuum pasteurization method perfected.
1948 Ultra-high temperature pasteurization is introduced.
1949 Agricultural Adjustment Act establishes dairy support price at $3.14/cwt.
1950 Milk vending machines win place in distribution.
1955 Flavor control equipment for milk is introduced commercially.
1964 Plastic milk container introduced commercially.
1968 Electronic testing for milk is introduced commercially marking the official acceptance of
process.
1974 Nutrition labeling of fluid milk products begins.
1980 American Dairy Association launches the national introduction of the “REAL”® Seal
dairy symbol.
1981 UHT (ultra high temperature) milks gain national recognition.
1983 Creation of National Dairy Promotion and Research Board.
1988 Lower fat dairy products gain widespread acceptance. Low-fat and skim milk sales
combined exceed whole milk sales for the first time.
1993 Mandatory animal drug residue testing program established.
1994 Recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST) approved for commercial use in U.S.
Nutrition Labeling and Education Act requires mandatory nutrition labeling.
1995 Launch of processor-funded milk mustache advertising campaign.
2000 Federal milk marketing orders reformed; component pricing introduced.
