Market Farming

[Mike Brabo <mdbrabo AT att.net>]

Wyatt,

I can empathize....   Our farm has had difficulties with the whole PHF-Potentially Hazardous Food (eggs, meats, dairy, baked goods with eggs/milk, etc) issue with a county health department near our metropolitan area here in Missouri.  Similar requirements for "Commercial" refrigeration.  

At a Health Department meeting one farmer had print outs of both the County and State Food Rules/Regulations, all 200-250 pages. When this farmer spoke up saying that the county's Powerpoint presentation and words/rules did not line up with the printed laws/regs, the law the County rep said they were moving towards implementing Federal Guidelines "since we're all heading in that direction anyway."  Several county employees said that their rules were "to protect children, seniors and grandchildren." 

I considered a class action lawsuit for discrimination because some citizens (Amish) do not use mechanical refrigeration and thus their "enforced rules" are discriminatory.  The issue is not primarily about food "safety" but rather control.  The large AG companies and grocery stores have margins so thin that small, direct-sales farmers are hurting their bottom line.

In the end my family decided to drop selling at 4 Farmer's Markets, to 7-8 restaurants, and a couple grocery/health food stores.  So we no longer sell to the general public who the health department "protects".  We are a PRIVATE Co-Op/CSA having a private contract between individuals and we don't cross state lines.   

Wish you the best,

Mike

On Jun 12, 2013, at 5:58 AM, Wyatt Jones wrote:

Here in Greene County Ohio they do not allow you to sell out of coolers, you have to use a COMMERCIAL Refrigerator powered by a commercial grade True Sine Wave power inverter.  You are not allowed to sell eggs displayed outside of the refrigerator and there are a whole slew of other regulations.  The State recommends allowing sales out of coolers but the county refuses to acknowledge the state health departments published recommendations, making it cost prohibitive to sell eggs unless you are a large scale commercial operation.  If I lived 2 miles east in Fayette county I could sell out of a cooler as long as I didn't sell them in this county but as it is I can't get a permit to sell them at all because I live here and you have to get a permit issued by the county you reside in essentially chasing income out of the county because of unreasonable and tyrannical practices

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