Producers of baked goods which do not require refrigeration would not be subject to health department inspections under SB-48.

On Monday, the Colorado Cottage Foods Act [SB-48] passed out of the Colorado House Agriculture, Livestock, & Natural Resources Committee with a unanimous vote of 12-0.   An amendment was added to the bill, which would eliminate the cap on how much a producer of a specific good can earn in a year.

A couple of wedding cake bakers who testified at the committee hearing and a number of Republicans on the committee wanted the amendment.  It sounds good but may cause certain groups, which were opposed to a similar bill last year, to oppose the bill again.

Three WCC representatives from the Western Slope made the trip over to Denver for the committee hearing.  They were able to make an appearance and get back on the road by mid-afternoon, although a fuel spill in Glenwood Canyon kept some of them from home until midnight!

The bill, which has already passed the Senate, heads next to the House floor for debate.

Home food bill passes House panel [Pueblo Chieftan, 2/28/12]