This collection is a sub-subgroup (Bureau/Program) of the Montana Department of Livestock records, RS 500. The Milk Control Program (formerly named Milk Control Bureau) operates within the Centralized Services Division. Please see the primary finding aid for more Montana Department of Livestock records.

Correspondence in this collection is arranged into interoffice correspondence between the executive secretary and various Board members and employees; general correspondence between the executive secretary and a variety of organizations; and general correspondence arranged by community. This last series contains letters from people in the dairy industry in Montana requesting information on their responsibilities under the law and on the methods of setting up marketing areas. It also contains correspondence dealing with attempts to bring local dairies into compliance.

The second major component of the records is the hearing docket series. From 1935 to 1958 these hearings were held in each community requesting to come under the jurisdiction of the Board. The hearing would set up the market area and establish legal minimum prices. After 1958 the hearings were held to establish the twelve "natural marketing areas" and to set prices within those areas. In some cases joint hearings were held for more than one marketing area. These are filed under the lower-numbered area. There are also hearing dockets for statewide hearings on proposed regulation and prices, and on violations by individual dairies. Hearings files may include transcripts, exhibits, and correspondence concerning hearings.

Other records in the collection include financial records (1936-1964); minutes (June 1935-May 1983) of the Board including transcripts of proceedings and testimony; reports (1949-1960) consisting primarily of daily activity logs of the executive secretary; speeches and writings about the Board's functions; and miscellany including lists of milk control areas and dairies within those areas; cost studies for each area; official orders of the Board (1935-1974); and working papers for the annual published utilization report.