First off, I just released podcast episode #2 with Lauren Cortesi.

Lauren has been running her business for 17 years, so she has a lot to share with us! She started her business before most states even had a cottage food law!

On the episode, she talks about what has changed over 17 years, how a famous baker transformed her business, and why she doesn't want to open a brick and mortar bakery.

Click here to listen to Episode #2 of The Forrager Podcast


In other news, Wyoming is currently trying to expand their food freedom law.

If you're unfamiliar, Wyoming made waves in 2015 for enacting the first food freedom bill. It's called "food freedom" because almost any type of food is allowed, including most perishable foods.

Although Wyoming's law is amazing, it does have its flaws, and other states are ahead of it in some ways. For instance, indirect sales (e.g. at retail stores) are not allowed, and all food items must be consumed in a home.

A new bill in Wyoming (HB0084) is trying to remove those limitations, and if passed, Wyoming's law would undoubtedly be the best in the country.

When I first read that this bill would allow indirect sales in retail stores and restaurants, I was skeptical. Even in Wyoming, it's hard to imagine them allowing a homemade chicken pot pie to be sold in a grocery store. I don't think we're there yet.

But actually, the bill only allows indirect sales of non-perishable foods, while still allowing the direct sale of perishable foods. So a chicken pot pie could still be sold at a farmers market, but not in a grocery store. That seems a lot more feasible, and if passed, would bring Wyoming's law up to the level of some other states that allow indirect sales of non-perishable foods.

It also would remove the restriction of food needing to be consumed in a home, which was always a strange requirement.

Oh, and it also adds a sales limit of $500,000, which I think we can all agree isn't much of a limit, right?

So basically, it would keep everything that's good about the current food freedom law, make it even better, and still have no government regulation or oversight. It would be like a great cottage food law with superpowers!

I could definitely see this passing (it's already most of the way there), and if it does, I might need to make Wyoming even greener on Forrager's map, but I'm not sure if that's possible! :)

David