The state Senate on Tuesday passed a bill sponsored by Sen. Elder Vogel, R-47th, to allow milk processors to exceed the requirement to label milk as for sale within 17 days of pasteurization.

Senate Bill 434, which also has been approved by the House of Representatives, allows processors to apply to the Department of Agriculture for a waiver allowing them to exceed the 17-day limit by moving to a science-based “open code” format.

The bill creates testing requirements and standards, including dairy laboratory criteria, bacterial testing of samples and continued periodic testing, which must be met for milk processors to receive department approval.