Homemade Jelly Now Legal in Michigan!!!

Yellow Creek · #1 07/13/10, 06:53 AM

Our local morning newspaper reported that Governor Granholm has singed into law a bill that will allow the sale of homemade food at roadside stands. We can now legally sell homemade jelly at our road stand as long as it is properly labeled (Made in a home kitchen that has not been inspected by the Michigan Department of Agriculture) and we don't make more than $15,000 gross profit.

Nice to be legal, considering what they did to Al Capone (who had a summer home just North if here.)

Immaculate Sublimity · #2 07/13/10, 07:23 AM

Wow, Granholm did something to help michiganders for a change. Who'da thunk it possible.... Must be an election year. Only the die hards are left in the state.

J2E1 · #3 07/13/10, 07:38 AM

Glad to hear that they've removed a restriction. Now they need to go after the profit limit. Are roadside stand incomes non-taxed? Who is anyone to say that you can't make more money?

MrCalicoty · #4 07/13/10, 07:42 AM

That's really great news! I may have to call gov. Strickland's office and put some peer pressure on him for Ohio. Michigan NEVER beats OHIO!

Don't get me wrong Michiganders... I used to BE one!

geo in mi · #5 07/13/10, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrCalicoty

That's really great news! I may have to call gov. Strickland's office and put some peer pressure on him for Ohio. Michigan NEVER beats OHIO!

Don't get me wrong Michiganders... I used to BE one!

Oh????? see this:
http://www.brightdsl.net/~fwo/downloads/cottagefood.pdf

Note the date.......

geo

**Kris in MI** · #6 07/13/10, 08:35 AM

I have been watching this bill--now law--for the past three years. I am so glad it has finally passed. Now I can start selling to all those people who love my breads, cookies, pies, etc but wouldn't buy them because it was illegal. :banana02:

FunnyRiverFarm · #7 07/13/10, 08:51 AM

Wow...I didn't even know it was illegal to sell home baked goods before! I don't think that it was something that was enforced very heavily...not around here at least.

geo in mi · #8 07/13/10, 09:34 AM

I think it's a win-win situation for anybody who cares to partake. I'll probably pass for awhile until they get sorted out, though. I would imagine for awhile the farmer's markets may have a glut of such products, and a few of those may come from homes where kitty kats walk on the countertops at night...... In time, though, it will be a good thing.

As for me doing my own food products, I would have to be awfully brave and sure of my cooking and packaging so as not to lose the farm by a bad batch.

geo

Patt · #9 07/13/10, 09:36 AM

That's great!

fransean · #10 07/13/10, 01:36 PM

Wow! Thanks for the heads up I went over and read the bills. I am thinking of future profits ...I mean projects

Start planting the fruit and herbs now.

**Kris in MI** · #11 07/13/10, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geo in mi

I think it's a win-win situation for anybody who cares to partake. I'll probably pass for awhile until they get sorted out, though. I would imagine for awhile the farmer's markets may have a glut of such products,
geo

I wouldn't be so sure. . . I of course immediately sent off emails to the local farmers markets asking in view of the new law passing and being effective as of the minute it was signed, were they now accepting items not made in commercial kitchens? The only responses so far is that no, they are not amending their rules until they have had time to review the new law and determine if it is necessary to change their policy of only allowing those goods produced in licensed kitchens.

So, it doesn't sound like the farmers markets around me are going to letting any of us in that couldn't sell prior to the new law being passed.

dirty · #12 07/13/10, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kris in MI

I wouldn't be so sure. . . I of course immediately sent off emails to the local farmers markets asking in view of the new law passing and being effective as of the minute it was signed, were they now accepting items not made in commercial kitchens? The only responses so far is that no, they are not amending their rules until they have had time to review the new law and determine if it is necessary to change their policy of only allowing those goods produced in licensed kitchens.

So, it doesn't sound like the farmers markets around me are going to letting any of us in that couldn't sell prior to the new law being passed.

i always thought the licensed kitchens, was a health dept. regulation. the health dept., eliminated church bake sales a few years back around here, for lack of inspected kitchens.

Jim-mi · #13 07/14/10, 08:32 AM

Now as far as to that 15,000 cap .

A lesson in new math might be in order here;

. .2+2+2=4.5

Going with this logic that 15k cap should not be a problem.

ronbre · #14 07/14/10, 11:22 AM

i posted another thread before i saw this one.. this includes not only foods produced in your kitchen but other things sold at roadside, i believe it would include produce from your garden, flowers and crafts too..i believe this is for things sold from your home, it might not include farmers markets..but i haven't checked out the specifics of the law..so i'm just speaking from what i've heard on TV..

Maura · #15 07/14/10, 12:49 PM

There have been people selling their own jams at farmer's markets. You simply had to use a licensed kitchen. Your kitchen could be licensed. I know of people who make cakes or do catering using their own kitchen, but they had to have stainless steel sinks, etc., and be inspected. It's not that hard, but unless you are baking a lot of cakes or are a caterer, you wouldn't do it. One of our high schools has a kitchen that it allows people to use to make things to sell like jams and jellies.

**Kris in MI** · #16 07/14/10, 12:57 PM

I don't know if it's a county-by-county thing, but I did check with my county about 8 years ago when we were building our house. Having your kitchen licensed is not simple here. . . I would have had to have things like the 3-bowl sink (wash-rinse-sanitize), stainless steel countertops, separate entrance from the rest of the house, commercial grade appliances (stove, exhaust hood, etc). Now, my kitchen is huge and was designed for our family of six, cooking every meal from scratch, canning, freezing, etc. It cost a pretty penny just to make it a home kitchen. To upgrade to meet licensed kitchen requirements would have cost about double.

It's not quite as simple as just having someone come into your home and see if it's sanitary. They want specific supplies, appliances, etc.