PLAINFIELD, Vt. (AP) -- The growth of small dairies nationwide is creating opportunity for entrepreneurs.

Major manufacturers long ago gave up producing equipment for small dairies, which seemed to be a thing of the past.

But with small dairies opening to meet the demand for locally produced food, the market for equipment for five-cow, 10-sheep and 20-goat operations is seeing a resurgence.

A Maryland entrepreneur has developed a small-scale milk pasteurizer that has been sold in about 30 states and a number of other countries. A Vermont farmer has created another small-scale pasteurizer that his company hopes to get approved for sale this summer.

Pasteurization is a process in which milk is heated to kill disease-causing organisms. Federal law requires milk and most other dairy products to be pasteurized before sale to the public.