SOOOO excited! The Illinois Cottage Food Law is sitting on Governor Quinn's desk, waiting for him to sign it. 
One step closer for all us Illinois home hobby bakers for us to be a legal business and actually make cakes we can sell from our homes!!!! 
Sorry to burst your bubble, but it does NOT allow bakers to sell from home. It allows us to sell at farmer's markets or charitable community events (bake sales.)
The Illinois Cottage Food Law is sitting on Governor Quinn's desk, waiting for him to sign it.
Where did you find this information? I've been trying to confirm that this is the status of the bill, but I can only find info that points to it being stuck in the rules committee since April.
It was posted in our paper today. The Alton Telegraph, it is online.
http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/food-55477-bill-health.html
Thank you. SB 840. Do you plan on selling at a farmer's market? I currently provide dozens of cupcakes every month to a local charity that sells them (along with other donated baked goods) at a farmer's market as a fundraiser, but I've noticed other bakers there. This new law says the health dept. can't interfere with that. As far as cottage food laws go, it's pretty pathetic. 
The proposed legislation will allow entrepreneurs to produce non-potentially hazardous food in their home kitchen to be sold at farmers markets provided certain conditions are met:
Products are labeled to include: the name and address of the producer, the common or usual name of the product, the ingredients of the food product, the date the product was processed and the following phrase: This product is homemade and no subject to state inspection.
Gross receipts from the sale of products does not exceed $25,000 in a calendar year.
The name and residence of the person preparing and selling products as a cottage food operation is registered with the Department of Public Health and the Department of Agriculture.
The person preparing and selling products as a cottage food operation has an approved Food Service Sanitation Management Certificate.
(above copied from this article: http://www.ilstewards.org/blog/8509)
As far as cottage food laws go, it's pretty pathetic.
Have you read the law that just passed in TX? How I wish we could get something like that! Sell from home, face to face. No internet sales. Pretty much what many of us who don't want a full time business would love to do!
http://dph.illinois.gov/fssmccourses/Default.aspx in the event you are needing to get your Sanitation Certificate. Yeah, it's better than nothing!!
Just out of curiosity what is the difference education wise between the basic F& S certificate and manager? My friend took that but she will need the manager one right?
I'm trying to find some new information on this and haven't been successful. Just curious if anyone has a link they could share on the status of this being signed into law and what the new requirements to sell at farmers' markets are? Thanks!
I'm trying to find some new information on this and haven't been successful. Just curious if anyone has a link they could share on the status of this being signed into law and what the new requirements to sell at farmers' markets are? Thanks!
This has been sitting on the Gov's desk since June 24th.
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=840&GAID=11&GA=97&DocTypeID=SB&LegID=55671&SessionID=84
Ugh. That's annoying, but thanks for the info.
You need a law like Iowa - you can license a home food establishment BUT residences that "prepare or distribute honey, shell eggs, or nonhazardous baked goods are not required to be licensed as home food establishments." This means it is legal to bake and sell from home without any licensing as long as it is direct to consumer sales (cannot sell to stores or restaurants) and is non hazardous (hazardous usually means refrigeration or maintaining heat).
Great publication from the Iowa State Extension office that can help
http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/pm1294.pdf
Keep working on it - point out all the other big states that have recently changed their laws and that neighboring Iowa has a good law.
CHICAGO August 16, 2011. In honor of Agriculture Day at the Illinois State Fair, Governor Pat Quinn today signed three pieces of legislation to support Illinois agriculture industry and increase access to farmers markets for the growing cottage food industry. Senate Bill 840 allows certain homemade foods to be sold at Illinois farmers markets, and Senate Bill 1852 creates a task force to recommend statewide farmers market regulations. The Governor also signed House Bill 3244 requiring the state to develop a plan for increasing agriculture-related tourism opportunities in Illinois.
The best way to celebrate Illinois agricultural strength is by making it easier for Illinois residents to buy fresh foods and support farmers and local economies, Governor Quinn said. Farmers markets allow us to buy fresh, healthy produce and other homemade goods directly from the people who make them, and this legislation will enable those business owners to sell directly to consumers while making sure safety standards are consistent for all markets throughout the state.
The popularity of farmers markets has surged in recent years, and a lack of consistent regulation at the increasing number of markets has created confusion about how products may be sold. Senate Bill 1852, sponsored by Sen. David Luechtefeld (R-Okawville) and Rep. Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro), creates a task force to review the rules and laws defining what products can be sold at farmers markets, as well as sanitation and food preparation requirements. The 24-member task force will then assist the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) in developing and implementing administrative rules ensuring consistent statewide farmers market regulations.
Senate Bill 840, sponsored by Sen. David Koehler (D-Peoria) and Rep. Lisa M. Dugan (D-Kankakee), allows homemade foods like jams, cookies and cakes to be sold at farmers markets. Cottage food vendors must meet the following conditions for their products to be sold at Illinois farmers markets:
Foods, such as baked goods, preserves, dry herbs or teas, must be safe for consumption;
Food is sold only at a farmers market;
Seller does no more than $25,000 a year in sales;
Follows specific labeling requirements;
The cottage food operation is registered with the local health department;
The person preparing and selling the food has a valid Illinois Food Service Sanitation Manager Certificate; and
A placard that states, This product was produced in a home kitchen not subject to public health inspection that may also process common food allergens is located where the food is sold.
Under House Bill 3244, sponsored by Rep. Kay Hatcher (R-Yorkville) and Sen. Kirk W. Dillard (R-Westmont), the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) will develop and implement a statewide strategic plan to increase agricultural tourism. This builds upon existing efforts by the Quinn administration to strengthen Illinois agri-tourism industry.
DCEO and the Illinois Department of Agriculture have a long-standing partnership with the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association (IGGVA) to promote the Illinois wine industry. Through the states tourism site, www.EnjoyIllinois.com, visitors can learn more about the dozens of wineries and other natural and agriculture-related attractions nestled throughout the state. DCEO also assists in marketing agri-tourism tours that have been created among its industry partners, both domestically and internationally, and promotes the use of locally grown foods in its marketing efforts.
Senate Bill 1852 and House Bill 3244 go into effect immediately and Senate Bill 840 takes effect Jan. 1.
You need a law like Iowa - you can license a home food establishment BUT residences that "prepare or distribute honey, shell eggs, or nonhazardous baked goods are not required to be licensed as home food establishments." This means it is legal to bake and sell from home without any licensing as long as it is direct to consumer sales (cannot sell to stores or restaurants) and is non hazardous (hazardous usually means refrigeration or maintaining heat).
Great publication from the Iowa State Extension office that can help
http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/pm1294.pdf
Keep working on it - point out all the other big states that have recently changed their laws and that neighboring Iowa has a good law.
I agree. As FanTam stated earlier, it's a start. Here's the link if anyone is interested. Happy Baking!
http://www.illinois.gov/PressReleases/ShowPressRelease.cfm?SubjectID=1&RecNum=9645
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