More Texas Laws

[CraigW]

A bee keeper who sells his honey is required to obtain a food manufacturers license. Another law, another $100.00 every 2 years.

I should send them a frame of AHB.Buzz!!


Craig

[Jerrymac]

Where did you get that tid bit of info?

[CraigW]

I found the TX. Dept. of Health website, found the regulations, I had a question so I called, spoke to a State health inspector and he told me the requirements for food manufactures includes honey when you are selling it to other then your family and he also went into the label requirements about stating "Honey", weight, name and address of who filled it.


Craig

[Jerrymac]

Where is this web site? Wonder if that would include any food item from a person's garden?

[CraigW]

http://info.sos.state.tx.us/pls/pub/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=25&pt=1&ch=229&rl=181
< this is where you can find it , below is what it defines as a food manufacturer. Most is from Federal Law.

(3) Food manufacturer--A person who combines, purifies, processes, or packages food for sale through a wholesale outlet. The term also includes a retail outlet that packages or labels food before sale and a person that represents itself as responsible for the purity and proper labeling of an article of food by labeling the food with the person's name and address.

The inspector told me this rule means we are not allowed to use our homes for honey extraction:
(3) Living areas. No manufacturing or holding of foods for distribution shall be conducted in any room used as living or sleeping quarters. All food manufacturing and storage shall be separated from any living or sleeping quarters by complete partitioning.

He also said that there is an exemption for "raw" food which is considered produce.


Craig

[Ross]

RULE §229.214 Exclusions

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The following operations are not subject to this section: Establishments engaged solely in the harvesting, storage, or distribution of one or more raw agricultural commodities which are ordinarily cleaned, prepared, treated, or otherwise processed before being marketed to the consuming public.

[Ross]

As far as I'm concerned, that exemption applies to honey.  I have never heard of anyone being hassled on a small scale.

[beemaster]

Totally off topic, across the street from our Borough Hall (local government center) a man kept a fully mature BULL in his 30'x40' backyard for years. There were no ordinances against it and he kept it healthy and clean, plus the beast was relatively quiet. I didn't feel so strange keeping bees when measuring my pets against his  

[TwT]

it looks like the law in Georgia, I can process all the honey I want here at home but can only sale to individuals not businesses, If I sold my honey in stores or to companies then I would have to have a building and be inspected by the FDA or State Inspectors can remeber witch one though....

[CraigW]

Ross, thats was my question, I said honey was raw, but the inspector said it didn't include honey.

It would be good for some one else to call and see what they find out.
As far as I am concerned, the exemption you sited is what I would use in court if it ever came to that because honey is defined as raw and the law does not specifically mention honey as not being excluded from the exemption so it leaves one to their own inclusion of "raw".

I was a safety engineer before I retired and dealt with OSHA and other government regulatory agencies. I know they like power and they like to make up rules and/or applications when they can. I found out very early dealing with the government that Knowledge is power. If you know your rights or the regs. they don't push you around as much.

Craig
P.S. I just got off the phone with Weavers, they know about the requirement and have had a permit ever sense they started selling honey in jars.

[Jerrymac]

It's great to live in the land of the free.

[Jay]

Well, we all have our cross to bear. You should try it up here in "Taxachusetts" for a while! Not that I'm grumbling, I've lived here all my life and I love it here! :lol:

[Jerrymac]

Yep.... there's no place like home.

[Jack Parr]

Totally off topic, across the street from our Borough Hall (local government center) a man kept a fully mature BULL in his 30'x40' backyard for years. There were no ordinances against it and he kept it healthy and clean, plus the beast was relatively quiet. I didn't feel so strange keeping bees when measuring my pets against his  

I suppose the powers that be were not taking any BULL, or, SCHITT from
your guy.

[Finsky]

Yesterday come a new Beekeeping magazine. It was written that in Finland they are doing same kind of orgers like in Texas.  If you have over 15 hives or you sell to retail business, you should have  inspected honey handling room. They are formulating orders.