Alabama Cottage Food Law bill SB352 letter writing campaign - Page 5

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Quote:

Originally Posted by cakeymom 

BTW, I am already drafting a letter to start sending out once the bill has been given a number

 

 

cakeymom

Would you be willing to share your letter? Or help us create a form letter to make it easier on people?

Also,  we have been contacted by the Huntsville Times. They are going to do a story on it. Where are you located, Cakeymom? If you are in North Alabama, I would love for you to add your perspective! I could have the reporter call you. She did ask if there was anyone else worth talking to and since you were heading up the movement last year I think your input would be really good! Please consider!

I would love to be included in the discussion.  I wrote a letter to the editor and was contacted by the HSV Times. I then referred them to our Alabama Food Laws Bill page on Facebook to add more info and to show strength and to build a Team of supporters..

http://blog.al.com/birmingham-news-commentary/2013/01/your_view_alabama_needs_a_cott.html

Please go to the Times Opinion page and keep the discussion going . If they see that there is a lot of interest in this topic they will continue to support our cause. Interest sells newspapers and they need that.

The article will definitely get more support for the Movement. Think of other ways to involve A LOT of people. The more people talking about this the better !  We have a petition also which will give us an excuse to visit Senator Glover face to face and present it to him in Montgomery.
 

The Alabama Cottage Food Law Bill  Facebook page is a wonderful place for information and energy !

I have decided I support this law and have signed the change.org petition.  Is there another petition on the FB page?  

Is there anything else I can do?  I am located in the Opelika/Auburn area.  

Thanks so much

Quote:

Originally Posted by cakeymom 

I am in the lower part of the state. My letter is very simple it outlines why it is a win win situation. In that the state and local municipalities are missing out on sales dollars and that as a home baker I would like to legally earn money and gain the insights that could lead to me possibly opening a storefront and employing others. I also played devil's advocate by noting that this would not affect existing storefront owners as these sales are already taking place and is probably how they started out. Then as far as safety that is not an issue as items will be labeled appropriately and inspections could occur if complaints are leveled. My letter is on my work computer and I am answering this from home. Hope this helps.

Cakeymom

Thank you! That helps a lot. Sounds like a lot of what I said in my interview with our local paper. It really is a win-win for everyone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nancy6372 

I have decided I support this law and have signed the change.org petition.  Is there another petition on the FB page?  

 

Is there anything else I can do?  I am located in the Opelika/Auburn area.  

Thanks so much

Thank you for signing the petition! It is the same one on the FB page. You can share the page with your friends, write letters, and make calls! All the info to contact Sen. Glover is on the page. Thank you!

This is SO great ! The Alabama Cottage Food Laws Bill  page is Full of energy and info !   The petition will give us a excuse for a Party and to visit Sen Glover face to face. Anybody want to plan one ?  Also here is a copy of the letter I wrote to Sen Glover. I know we will not get anywhere near all the things I requested but it will give us a lot to bargain with and trade off.  Who knows we might get some of them !  All we can do is ask :)  

Here is my letter. Personalize it and use it anyway you like. These are all things that California has asked for and recieived. So why not ask :) 

Dear Senator Glover,

I request that our Alabama state legislators to enact a Cottage Foods bill authorizing The Alabama Department of Agriculture and local health departments to create a new category of food production called a cottage food operation, which, unlike other types of commercial food facilities, can be operated out of a home kitchen. The types of foods that a cottage food operation can sell would be limited to “non-potentially hazardous foods,” which are foods that are unlikely to grow harmful bacteria or other toxic microorganisms at room temperature. The list of items includes, but is not limited to: breads, cakes, doughnuts, pastries, buns, rolls, cookies, biscuits, and pies (except meat or cream pies candies, molded chocolates, chocolate truffles, jams and jellies. All are items that are permitted for sale at Alabama state sanctioned Farmer’s Markets. Remember we are not using heavy duty professional equipment to churn out thousands and thousands of items; therefore please do not place a cap on our earnings. I would also like to see the following included in this Cottage Food production bill.

• Cottage food products can be sold directly to consumers, through the internet or mail order and to in-state retail food facilities (i.e., grocery stores) provided that the cottage food operator obtains the proper registration or permit.
• In addition to help from family or household members, cottage food operations may also have up to one full time equivalent employee.
• Indirect sales (e.g. sales through local shops, cafes and restaurants) Individual county health departments may choose to coordinate and allow for inter-county sales of cottage food products. Direct sales (between a producer and a consumer) may occur anywhere in Alabama (e.g. at farmers’ markets, in a home, at special events, and fundraisers.
• While preparing homemade food products for sale, small children and pets may not be in the kitchen (They can be elsewhere in the house). Smoking, other non-commercial meal preparation, washing clothes and other such household activities may not take place in the kitchen while “cottage food” products are being made.

This law will help create employment opportunities for state residents currently out of work to become food entrepreneurs. It is acknowledged that the cottage food laws may require food processors to pay a license and/or permit fee. It is this licensing requirement that could bring in money for the entire state or partially pay for any cost incurred for additional regulatory program operations.

Cottage food laws have been passed in 32 other states, some of them as recently as the last year. The success in these states gives us hope that Alabama can and will follow suit to help small business owners succeed in a growing market. It is

currently impossible to obtain a home kitchen license in Alabama that will allow home business owners to sell outside of State sanctioned farmers’ markets or on the internet. A statewide Cottage Food Law could change all of that and help change Alabama's economy for the better.

Sincerely,

No this is the only one.   Alabama Cottage Food Law Bill   Facebook page is the place to go for new information and to get energized for the cause.  The petition is an excuse to visit Sen Glover and show him we are serious. 

Also there is a email for Sen Glover's assistant that has been posted on Alabama Food Laws BILL  facebook site.  I see a lot of people are doing that too.  I did it this morning.  I will share my letter if anyone wants to see it and use it or personalize it.  I based it on the new California Law that just passed and asked for the SKY    LOL  But that ewill give us a lot to negotiate and trade off.  I know we will not get it all but no harm asking.  California got it all. 

Alabama Food Law Bill is the main info page.  Post your ideas there. Keep it energized. Post and Post and Post some more. That makes it rank on Google when people search. So know I am posting a lot  to keep our rank up there not because I am bossy !   :)  

I can not wait to read the article. Did they tell you when it would run?  She called me again and I forgot to ask her.  I hope that we can show them there really is a strong grassroots movement for this and we are Watching !  If you could also mention adding chocolates and fudge and candy to the list I would be so grateful.  I do not bake in an oven and do not want to be left out !  I am so excited about this ! 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lagee 

 

Would you be willing to share your letter? Or help us create a form letter to make it easier on people?

 

Also,  we have been contacted by the Huntsville Times. They are going to do a story on it. Where are you located, Cakeymom? If you are in North Alabama, I would love for you to add your perspective! I could have the reporter call you. She did ask if there was anyone else worth talking to and since you were heading up the movement last year I think your input would be really good! Please consider!

What do you all think about sending letters now?  Don;t we need to tell him what we want to see in this Bill?  I really need him to add chocolates , candy, and fudge. And why do they need to cap our earnings?  We are not using industrial/ professional machinery to chum out thousands and thousands of items. Any ideas?

Quote:

Originally Posted by cakeymom 

Does anyone know through contact with Senator Glover what the final bill that is to be submitted for consideration will contain?

Here is the update I posted to FB this morning after talking to Kay, his assistant. We will not know what is going into the bill until he talks to the caucus and I am not sure when that is supposed to happen. I assume after session begins.

Update! I spoke with Kay, Sen. Glover's secretary, about meeting with him personally go present the petition to him and talk about what we would like to see in the bill. She said he would be glad to meet with us but it's hard to schedule time with him and if we can be flexible we can just go down and she will work us in. Good enough!

She has received numerous phone calls and emails about the cottage bill (YAY!) and she has created a folder for him with everything in it. He returns to the office next Tuesday and she will give him all of our information. He is a school teacher when he is not in session so next month is will be in the Montgomery office every day.

She offered me a bit of advice/wisdom and I think we need to listen to her. She told me to make sure we "Don't over do it". Phone calls, emails and letters are great but not by the thousands. She said it becomes irritating to the Senators. She has been a Senator assistant for 22 years, so she has seen a lot. She encouraged us to have a voice and fight for the bill but to be smart about it. She said what we are doing so far is great.

She specifically told me that the bill died in the Health Committee last year. They are the ones we need to convince that we need this law for Alabama. Sen. Glover is going to talk to some of them and try to find out why they killed it. He has to appease them, to get them to vote for it. What that means for us is we need to be contacting the members of the Health Committee and and get them on board with the Cottage Food Bill. She encouraged us to call and write them asking WHY it died last year, WHAT they didn't like about it and HOW we can change their minds about it. We have to get them to BELIEVE it is good for Alabama.

I told Kay we would back off of Sen. Glover a little and focus our efforts on the Health Committee. I told her we trust and appreciate that he is sponsoring this bill for us. We wanted to talk to him about what we would like to see written into the new bill. He doesn't know our wants and needs unless we tell him, right? I also stated that we know we may not get everything we ask for. We appreciate his consideration and will be thankful for what we do get. He does not want the bill to die yet again, so he must find a compromise with the Health Committee. It's time for us to school the HC on what we need before he goes to talk to them!

The thing that Kay said that resonated with me the most is that we have the right attitude and to keep doing what we are doing. Yay! I personally thank each and everyone of you for liking, supporting and sharing this page/cause! Your calls, letters and emails DO make a difference. Kay alerted the HC Chairman's secretary that we will be coming her way! Let'[s keep pushing forward! We are unstoppable!

Here is the link to the Committees. Click on Health for the list of members. I will also post all of their info in the "notes" section on this page.

Let's convince them that Alabama needs this law!!