Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval Thursday vetoed a bill to allow raw milk produced in rural Nye County to be distributed statewide, including the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Republican governor said his veto of Assembly Bill 209 (AB209) was prompted by the health concerns surrounding unpasteurized milk. He said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the American Medical Association and his own state health officer agreed that AB209 presents “significant public health risks.” Under current Nevada law, local milk commissions are empowered to certify raw milk for sale solely within their county. Nye County has a milk commission that approves raw milk produced in the Amargosa Valley, but it needed AB209 to legally enter the Las Vegas market. AB209 was passed unanimously by the Nevada House and encountered only four negative votes in the Senate. Meanwhile across the country in Maine, the state Senate approved a measure exempting small raw milk producers from licensing requirements. It now goes over to the House.