I have a couple of changes to suggest to the bill for small scale beekeepers for honey sales that I have already sent in to the State org. The change is being proposed to the current Health and Safey Code that regulates honey sales.
It is my opinion that the proposed definition of "small honey production operation" under Subdivision (7) is excessively wordy and detrimentally limiting for "small scale producers".
It begins by defining a beekeeper as "a person who owns, leases, or manages one or more colonies of bees for pollination or the production of honey, beeswax, or other by-products, either for personal or commercial use", but then it negates that definition with the wording of (B) -produced personally or with the help of the beekeeper's immediate family members; and with (C)(i)(b) owned and managed by the beekeeper.
My recommendation is to use only (7) (A) (C) (i) (a) (ii) (iii) and to strike (B) and to strike (C)(i)(b). Another option would be to strike (B) and change (C)(i)(b) to read the same as in the previous definition of beekeeper, "owned, leased, or managed by the beekeeper".
I also mentioned to them that it proposes NO limits against the LARGER producers who are buying honey from "where ever they choose, including out of country" and coming back in to sell "their honey" in farmers markets, or festivals, and fairs. (Which pushes out the "small guys" because farmer markets limit the number of vendors with similar products.) -- I am not really so opposed to big producers working in farmer markets, but my point is that they want to box us into a tiny slice of the pie with so many limitations to keep us out of the rest of the pie, but they aren't limited to staying out of our tiny slice. -- just play fair(er).
Other typical language is "delivers products to the consumer at the point of sale or another location designated by the consumer." It's subtle but it does allow for a one-on-one exchange anywhere that's convenient.
I have yet to comment on the changes to the AG Code 131.
