Selling Cheese

[Rechellef]

I have had some folks express interest in some goat cheese including the co-op where I buy my grain. The manager mentioned that he would be interested in selling some in the store to customers. What should I look into when possibly doing something like this. I wouldn't want myself or the store to get into trouble.

My other option is to eventually open a stall at the farmer's market and raw milk cheese is allowed to be sold there. The only thing they need USDA approved is the meats (understandable). I would be the only one selling goat milk products, so there would be no competition. However, I want to make sure it would be worth the effort.

Would any of your venture into selling your cheeses? Also, I know there is a thread here somewhere that has some wonderful ideas on chevre cheese recipes (there was a honey one that I am dying to try).

[Alice In TX/MO]

Check on Tennessee law on this. I'd bet that you can NOT do this without a commercial kitchen/cheese processing building to prepare the cheese. Doing it in your own kitchen most likely won't comply with state health/milk/cheese laws.

[DWH Farm]

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

Check on Tennessee law on this. I'd bet that you can NOT do this without a commercial kitchen/cheese processing building to prepare the cheese. Doing it in your own kitchen most likely won't comply with state health/milk/cheese laws.

Agree with this..You might check here:
http://www.realmilk.com/happening.html#tn

[Pony]

Yeah, definitely KYAC.

Morningland Dairy is being harassed by the state - even as I type - b/c TPTB think that raw milk and raw milk products should all have Haz-Mat docs.

BTW, please pray for the Morningland folks. The liar on the Mook Board didn't take kindly to being called out on his b.s. and dragged them back into court on false charges of contempt.

[eclipchic]

Originally Posted by Pony

b/c TPTB think that raw milk and raw milk products should all have Haz-Mat docs.

boy if thats all they wanted it would only add to the allure. The raw milk foodies wouldn't care either way just as long as they could get it.

no advice, I can't sell anything in my state without a commercial dairy license and facilities to boot

[Pony]

Originally Posted by eclipchic

boy if thats all they wanted it would only add to the allure. The raw milk foodies wouldn't care either way just as long as they could get it.

no advice, I can't sell anything in my state without a commercial dairy license and facilities to boot

If they'd stop at a hazmat, it would be fine. But they won't. They are liars and greedy controllers.

By the way, I'm an advocate of raw milk. Is "foodie" a derogatory term? It seems kind of... I dunno. Not right, I guess.

I encourage you to write to your state reps and such to tell them that you don't want them sticking their nose into your stomach. What you eat is up to YOU, and the over-regulation of food production is what's causing problems.

[TroutRiver]

Originally Posted by Pony

I encourage you to write to your state reps and such to tell them that you don't want them sticking their nose into your stomach. What you eat is up to YOU, and the over-regulation of food production is what's causing problems.

I'm not familiar with the case that you're talking about, but the farm that I work at was harrassed and threatened by inspectors a couple months ago for having cheese RECIPES posted on their WEBSITE! The inspectors told us that it's illegal to process raw milk, even for personal consumption, and that we could be shut down for promoting it on our website, because any kind of promotion is against the law!! What kind of police state are we living in where we can't even make our own cheese or teach others how to make it??

[KrisD]

Weird here if you want to sell raw milk as a non commercial dairy you pay a $50 fee and they test your milk and license you. The testing is free too. When I asked (for next year) they said they crack down on people who try and skirt around it but generally unless your herd is sick they leave you alone.

[Pony]

Originally Posted by TroutRiver

I'm not familiar with the case that you're talking about, but the farm that I work at was harrassed and threatened by inspectors a couple months ago for having cheese RECIPES posted on their WEBSITE! The inspectors told us that it's illegal to process raw milk, even for personal consumption, and that we could be shut down for promoting it on our website, because any kind of promotion is against the law!! What kind of police state are we living in where we can't even make our own cheese or teach others how to make it??

I read (through Henwhisperer) the story that your state reps were trying to stop a class on home cheesemaking. I mean - WHAT?????

If you'd like, I can get you in touch with folks who are very involved with the raw milk/food choice freedom movement out east.

Shoot me a pm.

Together, we can fight this. Divided, we'll all be eating Soylent Green in 3 generations.

[Pony]

Originally Posted by KrisD

Weird here if you want to sell raw milk as a non commercial dairy you pay a $50 fee and they test your milk and license you. The testing is free too. When I asked (for next year) they said they crack down on people who try and skirt around it but generally unless your herd is sick they leave you alone.

In what state do you live?

Interesting. They have this "law" that they enforce when they feel like it. But if it's so darned all-fired important, you'd think that they'd be all over that.

Oh, and how is the testing free if they're charging you $50 for the pleasure of having your unalienable rights violated?

Grr. Even if they're "nice" about it, it's still wrong.

IMO, of course.

[hiddensprings]

Originally Posted by Rechellef

I have had some folks express interest in some goat cheese including the co-op where I buy my grain. The manager mentioned that he would be interested in selling some in the store to customers. What should I look into when possibly doing something like this. I wouldn't want myself or the store to get into trouble.

My other option is to eventually open a stall at the farmer's market and raw milk cheese is allowed to be sold there. The only thing they need USDA approved is the meats (understandable). I would be the only one selling goat milk products, so there would be no competition. However, I want to make sure it would be worth the effort.

Would any of your venture into selling your cheeses? Also, I know there is a thread here somewhere that has some wonderful ideas on chevre cheese recipes (there was a honey one that I am dying to try).

The state of Tennesee will have a fit with your raw milk cheese. Since it not an aged cheese and you are not a dairy, you can't legally sell it in our state.

I am in TN as well and am in the process of obtaining my domestic kitchen license so I can sell Goat's Milk Fudge. Before I even started the domestic kitchen stuff, I got the state's approval to use raw milk as an ingredient. Because the fudge is cooked, I can use my raw milk. Don't get me wrong, they are not "thrilled" and I had to listen to a lecture on the dangers of raw milk, but I got their approval.

I also make and sell Goat's milk soap and lotions. Those are huge sellers at our farmer's market. And guess what......I didn't need the state's blessing to sell it.

[eclipchic]

Originally Posted by Pony

If they'd stop at a hazmat, it would be fine. But they won't. They are liars and greedy controllers.

By the way, I'm an advocate of raw milk. Is "foodie" a derogatory term? It seems kind of... I dunno. Not right, I guess.

I encourage you to write to your state reps and such to tell them that you don't want them sticking their nose into your stomach. What you eat is up to YOU, and the over-regulation of food production is what's causing problems.

I didn't think it was. I have friends who call themselves foodies. My apologies to all offended twas not intentional.

Indiana goes as far as to say that you need a room with sealed concrete floors, white walls, employee bathroom (even if you are the only employee)....its downright comical when I think about it. I'd love to be able to sell cheese or even milk for that matter but I don't have the kind of capitol it takes to dive in.

Lucky for my family though, they get to eat lots of lovingly made cheeses from a well loved family goat.

[KrisD]

Pony,

I live in Washington State. The $50 is for the "license" the testing is "free". However if they test the milk and approve it and leave me alone then it doesn't bother me too much. Yes I think they should leave people alone to make their own decisions on what to eat. But all dairys have to be licensed so at least it is more fair.

[Pony]

Kris, my thought is that, if they can insist that everyone have to be licensed to produce food, and everyone complies with that, what's to stop them from insisting on more stringent rules further on down the line? The precedent is set that people have complied with and are willing to accept what is, essentially, unlawful control. It's a slippery slope, and one that we, as a culture, haven't really thought through.

Case in point: The FDA announced a couple or three weeks ago that they have the power and right to come into your home garden and destroy it with NO documentation or proof that you're doing anything wrong.

Scary, isn't it?

The news from yesterday's court room antics in the Morningland case is not great. The schoolyard - er, COURT ROOM - bullies were in rare form, but the Dixons et al held their ground. Still, it isn't looking good, and we have to start writing again. This isn't going to go away.

[Lizza]

Originally Posted by KrisD

Pony,

I live in Washington State. The $50 is for the "license" the testing is "free". However if they test the milk and approve it and leave me alone then it doesn't bother me too much. Yes I think they should leave people alone to make their own decisions on what to eat. But all dairys have to be licensed so at least it is more fair.

Hi Kris, doesn't Washington do regular drop in's? I thought they had monthly inspections? Also don't you have a long list of requirements? Don't you also have to have a Grade A Dairy, it's not that you can just get your $50 license and start milking? Also, I believe you can't sell raw fresh cheese, it has to be aged 60 days and you also don't you have to have your milk processing license and not just your milk producing license?

I am in Oregon so am not very familiar with Washington but I do know people that milk up in Washington and from my general understanding isn't as easy as paying $50 and getting a check mark. You just might want to continue to research it further.

[suzyhomemaker09]

The term " Foodie" is absolutely not a derogatory term...
It's a term that describes people who enjoy food..the art of cooking and is probably apt for perhaps 60% of the members on the forum.

foodie, foody [ˈfuːdɪ]n pl -ies (Cookery) a person having an enthusiastic interest in the preparation and consumption of good food

[Pony]

Originally Posted by suzyhomemaker09

The term " Foodie" is absolutely not a derogatory term...
It's a term that describes people who enjoy food..the art of cooking and is probably apt for perhaps 60% of the members on the forum.

foodie, foody [ˈfuːdɪ]n pl -ies (Cookery) a person having an enthusiastic interest in the preparation and consumption of good food

Thanks for looking that up. Now I will happily call myself a Foodie.

A crunchy foodie. LOL!

[steff bugielski]

Well here in NY you must have a license to sell raw milk and /or cheese of any kind. We have both. Both are free but yes you do need to comply with the regulations. That being said there is not one of those regulations that does not make sense or I would do anyway. Maybe except Pasteurize fresh cheese.

I comply and never have a problem.

It seems to me if you follow the rules you should not have a problem.
I also see no reason not to follow the rules. They are there to insure the safety of those consuming your products.
We have a few dairies selling raw milk without the proper permits. My customer often ask what I think of it. My answer is always the same." The license if free. To comply with the rules is only common sense. Would you eat at a restaurant that posted a sign saying ' We have not been inspected by the Board of Health' "

Many farms do not want the inspectors coming on the property to inspect, why not, what do you have to hide.

There is now a farm making cheese and selling without the permit. What will happen to my ability to sell cheese if they have a problem. What if someone gets sick from their cheese. We all know that it is very easy to have E-Coli in your milk and not know it. Or Listeria or Camphlobacter or any thing else.

I bet my customers will think twice about purchasing from a small farm and would feel the big store bought cheese is safer.
What if the state has to change the laws because an unlicensed farm has an outbreak.
What happens to my source of income.

Yes the rules are a good thing and anyone selling milk should have the proper permits as per your state.

Just my .05 cents

[Ranger]

My own two cents worth here. As I've said before, I work for a government agency here, and I will NEVER allow inspectors, agents, "workers", etc. on my place. I know what all that "just trying to keep everyone safe" really means. What I or my friends, customers, etc. eat or drink is OUR business, not any government agency's. Of course there can be problems with home produced foods. There can be problems with ANY foods. Unfortunately, I know what is in food from stores, and I do not choose to put it into my body. The farms that that food comes from are inspected and regulated, and nothing that I will willingly eat.

As far as not having anything to hide goes, believe me when I tell you that if one of those "inspectors" decides, for any reason, that they want to find a problem they will, and you will forever regret having let them onto your place.

I have locked gates, big dogs, and an attitude, and I WILL NOT have inspectors of any kind here.

[Pony]

Originally Posted by steff bugielski

I comply and never have a problem.

It seems to me if you follow the rules you should not have a problem.

No, Most emphatically, NO.

Steff, I implore you to go to the Morningland site and read the whole story. Then read all the stories about how the FDA is taking over all aspects of ALL food production.

The Dixons have ALWAYS been completely compliant with the govt and the rules. There has NEVER EVER in THIRTY YEARS been a problem with or a complaint against their cheese. NEVER.

When the FDA showed up at the dairy (when they knew the Dixons were away at a conference), Joe and Denise told their employee to let the agents in, as they had nothing to hide.

And that began the nightmare.

No, Steff, following the rules and regulations to the last jot and tittle does NOT keep you safe. It doesn't matter.

PLEASE rethink your position. Look over all the evidence (it's all available online).

The govt is NOT here to help us. They have overstepped in unreal ways that scare the bejeebers out of me.