Laws Regarding Sales of Small amounts of honey

[Tuttle]

I want to sell 100 jars of honey at a swap meet in san diego. What are the laws regarding this do I need to have permits? I've always heard that small time beekeepers were allowed to sell a small amount of product without having permits and other things like the large commerical beekeepers do.

[gunter62]

Probably no problem, however you should check the California Dept. of Food and Ag for regulations. In Tennessee we're allowed 150 gal/year without having to maintain a state inspected honey house. Maybe someone from your state will post their knowledge/experience.

[Tuttle]

I've tried contacting several dept. etc, no one will reply as usually that's the government for you. The only people that were helpful were the california Beekeepers association who said aslong as labeling has my name address that it's pure honey, I should have no problem. He said he often sells at farmers markets and other places without any problems or permits. Anyone from California or San Diego area have anymore information? or anyone have anything regarding Federal Laws?

[StevenG]

You've tried....so label it appropriately, go sell it, and enjoy. If some bureaucrat comes by, and tells you you can't, tell them you contacted the departments (name them) and everything was fine since you're selling such a small quantity. ;-)
If they come down real hard on you, simply say "Ok, what do I need to do then?" Make them help you. The odds are, no one will say or do a thing.
Too often we make life too difficult for ourselves.
Regards,
Steven

[Tuttle]

So I try to call the county all week long since monday, left messages, called over 20 different numbers was being redirected. And here is the good ole American way, frist they fine you 350 dollars than they take away your viechle. They have shierriffs there walking around waiting to attack people without proper paperwork which apparantly is impossible to even get in the frist place since no one will awnser the phones or won't call you back. Gotta love California and all the beaucrats.

[Grant]

I love your logic, StevenG. Make them help you, and generally it works if you show a workable spirit and a congenial attitude. And it really helps when we have names of people we've contacted who failed to serve our needs. Supposedly, they know the rules and regs, but it still leaves me breathless when our government is supposed to be helping us and they don't know what the situation requires. Mostly they just say you can't do it the way you are doing it, but fail to offer the correct way.

I belong to another group, and the supervisory beaucrat from the state came down, mostly to come down on us. We explained our operating procedure, the one that had been previously approved by their attorney. Still, he said we were in the wrong. We said, "Fine, point out what needs to be changed and we'll be happy to modify our agreement and come into compliance."

He said he'd be getting back to us. That was two years ago and we've kept operating as we were.

I will say this, in Missouri the official from the Weights and Measures who visits the farmer's markets is extremely helpful, knows the rules and regs, and is more than willing to work with the incompliance. They're not all bad.

Grant
Jackson, MO

[Flyer Jim]

this should get you started
Jim
http://entomology.ucdavis.edu/facult...Dec%202010.pdf

[Bsweet]

Tuttle, The REF. link Flyer Jim provided should be a great help. The laws/guidelines vary greatly from state,county and city, you might also check with the health dept. as here in Oklahoma not only did the dept. of ag require a certified kitchen but the health dept. required a food handlers lic. because if you sold extracted honey it was concidered processed. I would go with the beekeepers club info and the ref from uc davis. As was stated in another thread about selling at a farmers mkt or flea mrk. do not load down you table with large amounts of product, but just enough for a few sells and keep your cash at the table /in your pocket just enough to make change so that if some airhead official wants to impound your product/procedes for not having the proper permits then they only get a small protion. You might also park your vehcial someplace other than right at/behind your stand. Jim

[KQ6AR]

To sell at farmers market, you need to go to the county dept of agriculture, pay $10, & register you're hives.
They'll give you a paper.
If you want insurance try the farm bureau.
For labeling laws, check out the honey board website.

[StevenG]

Obviously different states, counties, and towns/cities have different regulations. All I have to do to sell at our local "Sale Barn" (no barn, glorified Farmer's Market/Flea Market, is pay $5 to the agent who comes around every morning.

Were I to have something impounded or confiscated, I darn sure would get a receipt, signed!, for whatever was taken by the bureaucrat. And if he refused, I'd get on my cell phone and call the police for robbery in progress report.
Regards,
Steven

[Tuttle]

KQ6AR: this was in San Diego I guess that's the policy and the fees for getting a permit are outrageous, makes it not worth it to sell. Luckily I don't live there but I was wanting to go there because I knew if I was allowed to sell honey I would sell the majority of my product at a better price. I stayed in my county which is a farming community and was able to sell about 150 dollars worth of pint jars which was about 10% of what we currently have in stock and had to deal with 110 degree weather .

Someone gave me the heads up to watch out for California Highway Patrol as they can write you up for not having health permits and other misc permits etc if you are selling on the side of the road, not sure if that just applies for San Diego county or all of California.

I guess private sales and every once in awhile setting up in that area that I did will have to suffice and stay away from any state roads/land when I set up my stands.

I live about an hour away from Arizona, anyone ever sell honey at flea markets, swap meets or anything like that over there? If so what were your experiences like?

[Gypsi]

I was going to ask just this question, not that I have any honey. I wouldn't know a state inspector from a state trooper, and Texas may not actually have any state inspectors....

I don't even know if there is a beekeepers association on the Fort Worth side of the metroplex, although I have talked to the Dallas one, that was "pre-bee" by a year.

Anyone with Texas info, please contact me?

Never mind, found the association forum, and contacted one that meets only 8 miles away! woohoo!!

[Okraeater]

Any info on South Carolina? I'm sure we can sell to our friends with no problems...

[KQ6AR]

A couple definitions from the FDA

(gg) The term "processed food" means any food other than a raw agricultural commodity and includes any raw agricultural commodity that has been subject to processing, such as canning, cooking, freezing, dehydration, or milling.

(r) The term "raw agricultural commodity" means any food in its raw or natural state, including all fruits that are washed, colored, or otherwise treated in their unpeeled natural form prior to marketing.

http://www.fda.gov/RegulatoryInforma.../ucm086297.htm