Michigan Dept of Agriculture inspection

[danno]

Monday morning at 8:30 AM in have my MDA honey house inspection.  Almost ready.   Lots of little things to sew up.    Cant wait to have this behind me

[hardwood]

Best of luck! Let us know how you fare.

Scott

[Scadsobees]

Have fun with that!!  :-D

With the home-made exception that passed, do you even still need that inspection done to sell your stuff?  Or is it more of a commercial thing?

[danno]

Have fun with that!!  :-D

With the home-made exception that passed, do you even still need that inspection done to sell your stuff?  Or is it more of a commercial thing?

I have 3 choices two of which are new this year.
 
#1  In July a bill was passed called the cottage food law.  With this law honey  producers can now sell direct to customers like flea markets but not to stores.  Bottles have to labeled "This product was manufactured in a home kitchen and not under the guidance of the MDA"
#2   Passed just last month a honey producer with a gross of less than 15,00.00 per year doesnt need the Lic. and needs to be inspected only once.   These bottles need to be labeled something like  "This product was manufactured in a facility exempt from MDA inspections"
#3    Get the inspection, Pay 70.00, get Lic.  and be about to sell in any store without a cheapening label stuck on the back of my bottles.

I do have a couple of thousand pounds to sell so fleamarkets and the home stand wont cut it

[AliciaH]

Does MDA for Michigan Dept. of Agriculture?  What do you need for the inspection?  Is it just your extracting/bottling facilities? 

[danno]

Does MDA for Michigan Dept. of Agriculture?  What do you need for the inspection?  Is it just your extracting/bottling facilities? 

Yes Alicia
MDA is dept of Ag and I need the extraction/ bottling area inspected.  They make sure the area is rodent/insect proof, wash down floor and walls w/ floor drains, shatterproof light over equipment,   water samples or city water,  sinks with hot water and  sewer or large septic system

[AliciaH]

We haven't gotten to that point yet, but it's a fine line.  I've got space for an extraction room in the barn (family's tired of the sticky mess in the kitchen).  I think I should plan it out for when WA moves the same direction. 

[danno]

well I passed with flying colors

[AliciaH]

Congratulations, danno!

[AllenF]

That's great.  I was wondering how the inspection went.     :)

[danno]

Now I have to find reasonable insurance

[AliciaH]

Is the insurance a personal choice or a requirement of the Ag Dept.?  And what is the insurance for? 

Hope you don't mind me asking these questions.  I'm just really curious about the regs in other states and how folks set up their businesses.

Thanks!

[danno]

Is the insurance a personal choice or a requirement of the Ag Dept.?  And what is the insurance for? 

Hope you don't mind me asking these questions.  I'm just really curious about the regs in other states and how folks set up their businesses.

Thanks!

It's not required but I want product liability and building & content insur.  The way law suits fly around these days I just want to protect what we've worked for.  Back in my day if someone wondered into a bee yard and got stung  they were called dumbies.  Now days they get  rich