I have not heard of anything in Georgia but I would love to see something change. At one time there was something going around that if you didn't sell more than $5,000/year you could do out of home and not inspected but it didn't pass. I am only doing for my grandchildren but might push a little if it was legal. I work full time so mine would definitely be less than $5,000. 
A petition should only be considered as a supplemental instrument. It will not do any good by itself; you need someone willing to meet with elected representatives, make a case for a cottage food bill, and mobilize the Georgia bakers who are interested in seeing it pass.
If anybody is interested in doing this, you can email me at [email protected] and I will be happy to share information.
I am in Atlanta, GA and I will also help tackle the Georgia legislature. Perhaps we can set up a Facebook chat and get online. I will also provide anyone else with an out line of what you need to do to get legislation written. Just remember we need support from both sides of the house and we will be stepping on pretty big toes, but what the heck, let's work now and get this done. Just send me a pm so we can get started.
I also live in Georgia (Valdosta) and would be interested in helping to get legislation passed. Please pm me with any info that you all have come up with.
I would be more than willing to help out however I can. I have a friend that is a state Senator (who happens to be a fan of my baking) and a friend's father who is a state representative. I am sure between the two of them I might be able to get a discussion going. Has anyone acted on this yet?
I would love to legally bake full time but without the headache of a bakery. I am willing to do whatever I can for the cause.
Jennifer
How do you interpret this?
http://www1.legis.ga.gov/legis/2005_06/versions/sb96_LC_25_4566S_hss_5.htm
i'm up in the northeast corner, in stephens county. i would be so ecstatic if a home baker law was passed. if anyone has any info on how things are progressing, or need any help, pm me here. i can also add you on my facebook so i can be notified on there too.
It seems like there are quite a few of us interested in helping to get something started. Does anyone know what the first steps would be?
I think it varies from county to county. In a brief conversation with an inspector from the Thomas County Health Department, he said you could cook out of your kitchen, but could not make over a certain amount monthly. Anything over that amount would require a separate home kitchen. Also, depending on which one you do determines what jurisdiction it falls under, Department of Agriculture or Health Department. I didn't probe to far because he was on his lunch hour.
I recently contacted the Georgia Department of Agriculture and they emailed me the following Basic Regulatory Requirements.
http://www.files.georgia.gov/AGR/Files/Basic%20Regulatory%20Requirements.pdf
This came from
Natalie Adan
Consumer Protection Division
Georgia Department of Agriculture
Capitol Square Room 306
Atlanta, GA 30334
It is my understanding that you can't sell anything (no matter what the amount is) from your home without being licensed and totally separate kitchen and this is state wide not county to county. Has anyone been able to obtain anything in writing from the state or their county to state otherwise.
The state of GA does allow home businesses with a separate kitchen (cannot be your primary kitchen). The counties have the option of accepting or rejecting it. My county does not allow home baking businesses. I do not have this in writing, just information I received when I was inspected by the Dept of Agriculture. I am finding the people answering the phones are not the ones that need to be answering our questions. We need to be speaking to the actual inspectors to get the answers we need. Unfortunately, most of them are in the field and do not work out of offices.
Add me to the list of wanting to help! I'm in the metro area. I've corresponded with both the Dept. of Agriculture and The Secretary of State. If anyone's interested in seeing what they sent me, send me a message and I'll forward it along.
The amendment that was posted--does anyone know if it passed? Or if it's been voted upon yet?
It reads to me as though if that were passed, home kitchens (especially custom cake kitchens) would be perfectly legal as long as the customers understand that they're getting un-inspected food and then incur any liability from consuming it. Is that what everyone else reads?
In any case, I would love to get a Facebook group going or something like that so we could share information/mobilize. Let me know what you guys think!
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