Representatives Bennett, Curdy and Olsen, Missoula County opposes HB 352 - Provide for the Montana Local Food Choice Act, before House Agriculture this afternoon. This bill allows foods to be prepared at home and sold to the public without regulation. It also provides for raw milk to be sold without any oversight, testing or sanitation standards. In 2012, Missoula experienced an outbreak when an unlicensed caterer prepared food at home. The caterer didn't have the equipment he needed to cool or reheat the food properly, and as a result 18 people got sick. This proposed legislation also conflicts with current retail and cottage food laws, creating several challenges for Montana regulators and those being regulated. Please oppose HB 352.
The following will be sent before executive action is taken:
Missoula County continues to oppose HB 352 - Provide for the Montana Local Food Choice Act, before House Agriculture XX, and would like to offer additional information prior to executive action. HB 352 would present several challenges for local health departments and regulatory agencies. Exchanges between private parties currently are exempt from regulations, and as such, HB 352 would provide no additional compensations for cottage food items or transactions of raw agricultural commodities like fresh produce. Additionally, HB 352 would allow home-based businesses to exempt from regulations. As a result, any retailer, such as a caterer, could become exempt by moving their operations to their home. These changes create a higher risk for poor food safety and increase the likelihood of food-related outbreak. Should an outbreak occur, HB 352 would limit what authority health departments have to investigate the case to prevent further illness. HB 352 would also allow raw milk to be sold without regulation or oversight. When raw milk was previously legal, Missoula experienced an outbreak of multi-drug resistant salmonellosis. More than 100 people were affected, and half were children. Please oppose HB 352.
Representatives, Missoula County opposes HB 352 - Provide for the Montana Local Food Choice Act, being heard on the House floor this afternoon. HB 352 would present several challenges for local health departments and regulatory agencies. Exchanges between private parties currently are exempt from regulations, and as such, HB 352 would provide no additional compensations for cottage food items or transactions of raw agricultural commodities like fresh produce. Additionally, HB 352 would allow home-based businesses to exempt from regulations. As a result, any retailer, such as a caterer, could become exempt by moving their operations to their home. These changes create a higher risk for poor food safety and increase the likelihood of food-related outbreak. Should an outbreak occur, HB 352 would limit what authority health departments have to investigate the case to prevent further illness. HB 352 would also allow raw milk to be sold without regulation or oversight. When raw milk was previously legal, Missoula experienced an outbreak of multi-drug resistant salmonellosis. More than 100 people were affected, and half were children. Please oppose HB 352.
Senators Sands and Salomon, Missoula County strongly opposes HB 352 - Provide for the Montana Local Food Choice Act, being heard in Senate Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation this afternoon. HB 352 would present several challenges for local health departments and regulatory agencies. Exchanges between private parties currently are exempt from regulations, and as such, HB 352 would provide no additional compensations for cottage food items or transactions of raw agricultural commodities like fresh produce. Additionally, HB 352 would allow home-based businesses to exempt from regulations. As a result, any retailer, such as a caterer, could become exempt by moving their operations to their home. These changes create a higher risk for poor food safety and increase the likelihood of food-related outbreak. Should an outbreak occur, HB 352 would limit what authority health departments have to investigate the case to prevent further illness. HB 352 would also allow raw milk to be sold without regulation or oversight. When raw milk was previously legal, Missoula experienced an outbreak of multi-drug resistant salmonellosis. More than 100 people were affected, and half were children. Please oppose HB 352.
Sending the following this afternoon:
ReplyDeleteRepresentatives Bennett, Curdy and Olsen,
Missoula County opposes HB 352 - Provide for the Montana Local Food Choice Act, before House Agriculture this afternoon. This bill allows foods to be prepared at home and sold to the public without regulation. It also provides for raw milk to be sold without any oversight, testing or sanitation standards. In 2012, Missoula experienced an outbreak when an unlicensed caterer prepared food at home. The caterer didn't have the equipment he needed to cool or reheat the food properly, and as a result 18 people got sick. This proposed legislation also conflicts with current retail and cottage food laws, creating several challenges for Montana regulators and those being regulated.
Please oppose HB 352.
The following will be sent before executive action is taken:
ReplyDeleteMissoula County continues to oppose HB 352 - Provide for the Montana Local Food Choice Act, before House Agriculture XX, and would like to offer additional information prior to executive action. HB 352 would present several challenges for local health departments and regulatory agencies. Exchanges between private parties currently are exempt from regulations, and as such, HB 352 would provide no additional compensations for cottage food items or transactions of raw agricultural commodities like fresh produce. Additionally, HB 352 would allow home-based businesses to exempt from regulations. As a result, any retailer, such as a caterer, could become exempt by moving their operations to their home. These changes create a higher risk for poor food safety and increase the likelihood of food-related outbreak. Should an outbreak occur, HB 352 would limit what authority health departments have to investigate the case to prevent further illness. HB 352 would also allow raw milk to be sold without regulation or oversight. When raw milk was previously legal, Missoula experienced an outbreak of multi-drug resistant salmonellosis. More than 100 people were affected, and half were children.
Please oppose HB 352.
Sending the following at 10 a.m. today:
ReplyDeleteRepresentatives,
Missoula County opposes HB 352 - Provide for the Montana Local Food Choice Act, being heard on the House floor this afternoon. HB 352 would present several challenges for local health departments and regulatory agencies. Exchanges between private parties currently are exempt from regulations, and as such, HB 352 would provide no additional compensations for cottage food items or transactions of raw agricultural commodities like fresh produce. Additionally, HB 352 would allow home-based businesses to exempt from regulations. As a result, any retailer, such as a caterer, could become exempt by moving their operations to their home. These changes create a higher risk for poor food safety and increase the likelihood of food-related outbreak. Should an outbreak occur, HB 352 would limit what authority health departments have to investigate the case to prevent further illness. HB 352 would also allow raw milk to be sold without regulation or oversight. When raw milk was previously legal, Missoula experienced an outbreak of multi-drug resistant salmonellosis. More than 100 people were affected, and half were children.
Please oppose HB 352.
Sending the following Tuesday (3/21) at 3 p.m.:
ReplyDeleteSenators Sands and Salomon,
Missoula County strongly opposes HB 352 - Provide for the Montana Local Food Choice Act, being heard in Senate Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation this afternoon. HB 352 would present several challenges for local health departments and regulatory agencies. Exchanges between private parties currently are exempt from regulations, and as such, HB 352 would provide no additional compensations for cottage food items or transactions of raw agricultural commodities like fresh produce. Additionally, HB 352 would allow home-based businesses to exempt from regulations. As a result, any retailer, such as a caterer, could become exempt by moving their operations to their home. These changes create a higher risk for poor food safety and increase the likelihood of food-related outbreak. Should an outbreak occur, HB 352 would limit what authority health departments have to investigate the case to prevent further illness. HB 352 would also allow raw milk to be sold without regulation or oversight. When raw milk was previously legal, Missoula experienced an outbreak of multi-drug resistant salmonellosis. More than 100 people were affected, and half were children.
Please oppose HB 352.