I found another proposed bill that may impact us greatly yet I found it by accident. Its LD366 and involves raw milk sales. I’ll forward you the farm bureau e mail. Its down at the bottom under new legislation. I’m calling my local legislator – he’s listed as a sponsor. He’s also a sponsor on LD330 we discussed. I have an email in to Jon Olson, the farm bureau lobbyist, who is our point of information.
LD 366 An Act Regarding the Sale of Raw Milk (Kumiega-Deer Isle, Berry-Bowdoinham,
Malaby-Hancock, McCabe-Skowhegan, Newendyke-Litchfield, O’Brien-Lincolnville, Pilon-Saco,
Patrick-Oxford).
Last Action: VOTED, Mar 31, 2011, Ant. Div. Rep. (not yet reported out of committee)
Clarifies that a license is not required of a person who produces
and sells milk only on the premises. “Premises” includes a motor vehicle and a portable
farm stand owned by the producer if sales on these premises are made by the producer
or an employee.
Tags: Licensing
#1 written by sunsetacres
This started in our neighborhood of course. They want to be able to sell anything to anybody with no rules or license. Meats, dairy and value added. They have approached towns around here to have them vote on the master plan to allow those towns to seperate from Maine!!! As far as the rules go. We can’t get involved too much because they were apprentices here many years ago.
#2 written by sunsetacres
Just had a long talk with Don Hoenig about the raw milk bills. It seems as if the Dept isn’t going to mount an attack on this issue, although they know it is wrong. He said they need farmers to attend the hearing to speak out about why it shouldn’t pass. How it could ruin the whole program we have going now. But they don’t feel that the Dept. should be the ones as everyone expects them to be against it.
#3 written by littlefallsfarm
“Only on the premises” it states, yet “premises” is then broadened to include a vehicle and a portable farm stand, therefore a segue into a Farmers’ Market. Do we as a State really want uninspected producers of raw milk, with untested products (coliforms) and animals (brucellosis and TB)selling to the public at Farmers’Markets in Maine? Sounds like a recipe for disaster………..
#4 written by Deb Hahn
a lot of folks showed up at the hearing for both sides. obviously this is a huge issue affecting many different groups of people. before anyone spoke the legislator that was backing the bill told everyone he was going to change the wording! i’ve emailed hal prince and my reps. the reps really need to be educated because they’ve got a ton of bills out there and they need someone in the industry to explain the ramifications of unlicensed food.