WSR 15-21-052

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

[Filed October 16, 2015, 2:40 p.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: Chapter 16-149 WAC, Cottage food operations.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 69.22.020.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The 2015 legislature made changes to chapter 69.22 RCW adding new products and revising the limitation to the gross sales amount. Revision to chapter 16-149 WAC, Cottage food operations, is necessary to implement the new legislation.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: Washington state department of health; local health jurisdictions; United States Federal Food and Drug Administration.

Food safety officials from these organizations will be notified about the rule-making process through our food safety taskforce committee and outreach notifications. The Washington state department of agriculture (WSDA) will ask members from these organizations to participate in our cottage food rule-making advisory working group.

Process for Developing New Rule: The agency is developing the rule in coordination with stakeholders.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Claudia Coles, Policy/External Affairs Advisor, WSDA, Food Safety and Consumer Services Division, P.O. Box 42560, Olympia, WA 98504-2560, ccoles@agr.wa.gov.

October 16, 2015

Candace A. Jacobs

Assistant Director