I just called the FL Dept of Agriculture concerning this... Since we can't sell the foods online, I asked if taking a partial deposit online would be some kind of loop hole. Nope. So unless I'm not thinking of another way to do this, the only way would be for them to mail or see me in person for the deposit correct? If you have any other ideas, I'm open! 
The purpose of the Cottage Food Laws is to allow bakers to sell from home, locally and face-to-face. This eliminates on-line selling as you may not have a clue who these people are who are buying from you. You can advertise and have a web site, but no selling. They'll have to be able to call or meet you in person. So I would say mail or in person is pretty much it.
Did you get this information in writing from FL? The CFL prohibits selling food online, but one can argue that the deposit covers the advance purchase of the non-food components of the cake and as such that part of the transaction would not be subject to CFL rules.
Did you get this information in writing from FL? The CFL prohibits selling food online, but one can argue that the deposit covers the advance purchase of the non-food components of the cake and as such that part of the transaction would not be subject to CFL rules.
See that is my thinking on it... I don't know how to contact or who to contact to get it in writing. The number I called pretty much told me the law was enacted to take them OUT of the process and that they could only answer general questions. Can't find an e-mail contact for them.
You can contact the FL Dept of Ag here:
http://www.freshfromflorida.com/fs/contact.html
They are the ones who administer the new CFL, if no one will give you a straight answer you may need to escalate.
You can contact the FL Dept of Ag here:
http://www.freshfromflorida.com/fs/contact.html
They are the ones who administer the new CFL, if no one will give you a straight answer you may need to escalate.
I did find an e-mail for the Commissioner Adam Putnam, sent e-mail with my question. Will let you know if I ever hear a reply...
I did find an e-mail for the Commissioner Adam Putnam, sent e-mail with my question. Will let you know if I ever hear a reply...
If you want a quicker response I recommend calling, if you live nearby making an in-person appointment is even better. Incoming emails to top officials are often filtered several times and may not reach their destination.
What about receiving a separate payment through Paypal that is not linked to your website? I am just starting out in Florida and trying to figure out what I can and can't do.
A PayPal payment is still handled online, so there really wouldn't be any difference there.
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