FINAL BILL REPORT

SB 5603

C 196 L 15

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Changing cottage food operation provisions.

Sponsors: Senators Warnick and Rolfes; by request of Department of Agriculture.

Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water & Rural Economic Development

House Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources

Background: Non-potentially hazardous foods prepared in a home kitchen for sale directly to the consumer may be licensed as cottage foods by the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) if annual gross sales are under $15,000 per year.

The permit processing fee is $30 per year, paid to WSDA. In addition there is a public health review fee of $75, and an annual inspection fee of $125 for a total of $230. All fees are paid into the agricultural local fund.

Cottage food products are non-potentially hazardous baked goods, jams, jellies, preserves, and fruit butters as those terms are defined in federal regulations, and other non-hazardous foods as they are identified by WSDA by rule. Cottage food operators are persons who produce cottage food products in the home kitchen of their primary domestic residence only for sale directly to the consumer.

The annual gross sales ceiling is set by WSDA under statute and requires WSDA to set the amount at $15,000 from the beginning of the program, which was established in the 2011 legislative session and issued its first permit in June 2012. Beginning January 1, 2013, WSDA must increase this amount biennially to reflect inflation. The Cottage Food Permit exempts the holder from compliance with the Washington Food Processing Act.

Summary: The provisions for initial establishment of the $15,000 ceiling and for its adjustment by inflation are deleted. The new ceiling is $25,000.

Votes on Final Passage: