Hi there,
A number of cottage food bills have already passed!
First off,
North Dakota's bill has not only passed, but it's already in effect! And it's a very significant bill, in that not only does it
allow online sales and shipping, but it also allows interstate sales. ND joins a growing list of states that are removing the unnecessary restrictions against selling to other states.
Next up,
Wyoming's bill has now passed and will go into effect in July. Wyoming has long allowed producers to incorporate their poultry into cottage food products, and this bill extends that to red meat as well.
Producers will be able to sell meat products as long as they raise the animals themselves and follow other requirements.
Which brings us to
Georgia's bill, which will be one of the most significant cottage food bills this year. It has passed both houses and is only waiting on a signature from their governor. This bill will:
- Allow indirect sales (e.g. wholesale to restaurants)
- Remove the kitchen inspection requirement
- Might remove the requirement to get a cottage food license and take a food safety course
- Will remove the home address label requirement
- Will protect cottage food businesses from local government restrictions
This
will be a huge overhaul of their cottage food law, and a major improvement.And last but certainly not least, just yesterday,
New Hampshire's Senate voted on and passed FIVE cottage food bills! These bills (150, 279, 304, 307, 371) have now passed both houses and are waiting on signatures from their governor. Combined, these bills will:
- Allow producers to use commercial kitchen equipment
- Will remove the home address label requirement
- Will allow producers to simplify labels with a QR code (this is an industry first -- cake pop makers, rejoice!)
- Will allow producers to use other parts of their home for food production (not just their home kitchen)
- Might simplify the process for getting a license
- Will create a new category of cottage food producers that can offer pickup from home without needing any license
This will
easily be the most cottage food bills that get passed at the same time. In fact, I can't recall a time when even 2 cottage food bills passed simultaneously.
This year is off to a great start! There are still 27 more cottage food bills that are being worked on -- check them out on the
bill map.
Forraging ahead,
David