Minnesota Expands Food Freedom in New Cottage Food Bill
Minnesota experienced a win for liberty recently when the state reformed regulations on in-home food businesses. According to the Institute for Justice, almost every state has regulations, called cottage food laws, that limit the sale of food out of the home. However, until last month Minnesota was one of the strictest states, allowing many bakers to sell their products only at farmers’ markets and events, and capping the amount they could earn annually to $5,000.
Under the new law, bakers can sell directly from their homes and even online to buyers in state. The annual sales cap was also raised to $18,000, a huge relief for many bakers who are reliant on the money they make from their home businesses and have been unable to expand because of the burdensome regulations.
The new law is not perfect. Though it “modif[ies] license exclusions for the direct sale of certain prepared food,” the bill still mandates that individuals register with the commissioner and pay a $50 fee every year unless they make less than $5,000 annually. Individuals must also take a course in handling food (up to eight hours long) every three years.
This is indicative of a mentality that the government ultimately owns its citizens and their property. Well intentioned people who are trying to make a living must pay the government off for permission to do so. However, this was a big step in the right direction for Minnesota, and those who worked on this bill should be congratulated.
Reform of small business regulation and licensure is picking up traction around the country. States including Texas and California have loosened their cottage food laws and seen booms in upstart home businesses. Wyoming enacted the Food Freedom Act this year allowing citizens to sell homemade and homegrown products (with the exception of meat products besides poultry) without a license or a state inspection. Just last week, the White House came out for occupational licensure reform, in an unexpected report by the Department of the Treasury Office of Economic Policy, the Council of Economic Advisers, and the Department of Labor.
http://www.activistpost.com/2015/08/minnesota-food-freedom-law.html