Cottage Food Law Colorado

Decorating By AvaSweetCakes Updated 2 Sep 2011 , 10:15pm by debbief

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AvaSweetCakes Posted 12 Apr 2011 , 5:59pm
post #1 of 18

I am on a war path to get a Cottage Food Law in Colorado.
Step one:
I created a facebookpage for this movement and ask that you join and help me get the word out. The following link is long but until I get 25 fans I cannot change it: http://www.facebook.com/homebasedbakers/posts/123999007674829?ref=notif¬if_t=feed_comment_reply#!/pages/Colorado-Cottage-Law-Movement/107542739330187
Step two:
I will be contacting my lawyer to see what I can do and who I need to contact in the State legislation.
Step three:
Don't know what that will be but I will keep you all informed! I am going to get this done if it kills me! icon_twisted.gif

17 replies
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Elcee Posted 13 Apr 2011 , 1:06am
post #2 of 18

You probably already know about this but just in case, there's some really good info:

http://homebasedbaking.com/uncategorized/starting-a-cottage-food-law-movement

I'm off to become a fan of your Facebook page icon_smile.gif. I'll be watching your progress here and on fb. Please PM me or email me if I can help in any way.

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Lindsram Posted 13 Apr 2011 , 1:52am
post #3 of 18

So excited about this! I just moved here not too long ago and it's crazy you can't bake from home. You can sell tacos from a truck, meat from that back of your car, and even sell marijuana. But I can't bake a cake? Yes, I know they all have a license, but why don't I have the same rights? Makes me upset when I think about it! If you need any help please let me know! Also, I just liked your FB page and so did my hubby.

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Frecklysmom Posted 13 Apr 2011 , 2:14am
post #4 of 18

You've got my support! Even though I am in Wyoming now, Colorado is home. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help! I have already added myself to your facebook page!

Barb Schell

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AvaSweetCakes Posted 13 Apr 2011 , 4:17am
post #5 of 18

Thank you all for your support in getting this moving! I just started a petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/cocttglw/petition.html
Please sing it and forward it to everyone you know!

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BakerAnn Posted 13 Apr 2011 , 4:37am
post #6 of 18
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frecklysmom

You've got my support! Even though I am in Wyoming now, Colorado is home. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help! I have already added myself to your facebook page!

Barb Schell





Hello Barb. I stumbled on to Cake Central a couple of days ago and am completely hooked! I had a cake decorating business in another state, but want to continue on in my newly adopted state of Wyoming. I have Googled food regulations here and have not come up with anything. Saw your post and thought you could let me know what, if any, regulations and challenges Wyoming cake bakers and decorators might face. Thanks in advance!!

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AvaSweetCakes Posted 13 Apr 2011 , 5:10am
post #7 of 18

Hello Barb. I stumbled on to Cake Central a couple of days ago and am completely hooked! I had a cake decorating business in another state, but want to continue on in my newly adopted state of Wyoming. I have Googled food regulations here and have not come up with anything. Saw your post and thought you could let me know what, if any, regulations and challenges Wyoming cake bakers and decorators might face. Thanks in advance!![/quote]

You will be happy to know that Wyoming has a cottage food law and you are free to bake and sell from you home and at farmers markets!! Thought about moving there just for that reason!!

Go to this link on facebook to learn more: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=139463371933

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BakerAnn Posted 13 Apr 2011 , 5:24am
post #8 of 18

Thank you for the fast reply and the Facebook link! I can't tell you how thrilled I am to learn that we don't have to worry about the Food Police here in Wyoming! thumbs_up.gif

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AvaSweetCakes Posted 4 May 2011 , 2:58pm
post #9 of 18

The Local Foods to Local Markets Act passed the Senate and it is now off the the House. We should know by the end of next week if it passes and if is does the law will go into affect around August 1st. Although my feelings on this Law are that it is unfair, I do support it because I think it is a foot in the door. And after talking to Senator Gail Schwartz about my concerns, she assured me that provisions will be made to the bill next year allowing everyone to bake from home. The original draft of the bill did allow this however it faced too much opposition. This was the only way, after countless hours of negotiations, that everyone would agree on the bill. Everyone being the Governor, the State Board of Heath, and countless Senators. And so it is what it is and I feel we need to support it if we ever want a chance to use our homes for food production and selling. We have been urged to contact our local reps and voice our support of this bill. If you need the contact info just let me know.

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debbief Posted 4 May 2011 , 7:14pm
post #10 of 18

I missed this when it was first posted icon_sad.gif I suppose it's too late to sign the petition? Going to become a fan of your facebook now. Would love to see this happen.

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Elcee Posted 4 May 2011 , 11:02pm
post #11 of 18

Thanks for the update, Mande. And thank you for all your work on this!

While this bill doesn't help me at all, I guess it's a step in the right direction. I agree with you that it's unfair. Why can a farmer make and sell goods from their home kitchens with products that they've grown and we can't with store bought? And am I correct in understanding that they can do anything? Jams and preserves, for instance, have a much higher margin for improper handling than baked goods. I'll be modifying my letter to my legislators to reflect support for this while still advocating for a law that would allow home-based baking.

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AvaSweetCakes Posted 5 May 2011 , 3:40pm
post #12 of 18

Thank you Elcee and I strongly urge you to voice your opinion on this but hurry! It will be going to the House for a vote tomorrow at the earliest. In fact the whole thing is making me mad! I have been against the fact that this bill is not open for every one and have been voicing that since the beginning. Well, Senator Schwartz did not like that because if people got on my side of things then her bill might not pass. So she called me, her aid did, Tuesday and wanted me to swing things to show the bill in a more positive way. Her explanations was that this bill is a baby step and that's what we need to take to get our foot in the door with the whole cottage food thing. And that next year we can work on getting some amendment to the bill that would remove the "registered growers" part and raise the net limit of $5,000. But the more I read about other states cottage food laws and the more I think about this local food law the madder I get! I don't know if I can believe a politician especially since the only one the has contacted me, after numerous emails and phone calls, is the one who wrote the stupid bill and she wants me to talked nice about it! I am tiered of all of this and am seriously think of moving out of this stupid state. If you ask me the person that thought of this bill is someone that grows medicinal marajana and they want to be able to make pot brownies and sell them! LOL!
I will be writing every single Legislator today and hopefully someone will listen! I am going to play up the "Violation of Equal Rights" that I feel this bill has! After consulting with my lawyer he let me know that it is NOT too late for the bill to have amendments. If it gets voted down in the house then it will go back to comity and they will hash out an amended bill to be re-voted on in both the Senate and House. I would strongly advise everyone to wright your reps and if you want a copy of my email just send me a message to [email protected].

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debbief Posted 5 May 2011 , 4:27pm
post #13 of 18
Quote:
Originally Posted by AvaSweetCakes

Thank you Elcee and I strongly urge you to voice your opinion on this but hurry! It will be going to the House for a vote tomorrow at the earliest. In fact the whole thing is making me mad! I have been against the fact that this bill is not open for every one and have been voicing that since the beginning. Well, Senator Schwartz did not like that because if people got on my side of things then her bill might not pass. So she called me, her aid did, Tuesday and wanted me to swing things to show the bill in a more positive way. Her explanations was that this bill is a baby step and that's what we need to take to get our foot in the door with the whole cottage food thing. And that next year we can work on getting some amendment to the bill that would remove the "registered growers" part and raise the net limit of $5,000. But the more I read about other states cottage food laws and the more I think about this local food law the madder I get! I don't know if I can believe a politician especially since the only one the has contacted me, after numerous emails and phone calls, is the one who wrote the stupid bill and she wants me to talked nice about it! I am tiered of all of this and am seriously think of moving out of this stupid state. If you ask me the person that thought of this bill is someone that grows medicinal marajana and they want to be able to make pot brownies and sell them! LOL!
I will be writing every single Legislator today and hopefully someone will listen! I am going to play up the "Violation of Equal Rights" that I feel this bill has! After consulting with my lawyer he let me know that it is NOT too late for the bill to have amendments. If it gets voted down in the house then it will go back to comity and they will hash out an amended bill to be re-voted on in both the Senate and House. I would strongly advise everyone to wright your reps and if you want a copy of my email just send me a message to [email protected].




Just emailed you. Thanks!

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ninjacaker Posted 5 May 2011 , 10:04pm
post #14 of 18

I need to say something re: the FB page. It isn't "Cottage Law". It isn't a special law for cottages. It's "Cottage Food Law". You really should change that, and on your logo too.

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shellie0730 Posted 1 Jun 2011 , 4:58am
post #15 of 18

What is the current status of the movement?

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AvaSweetCakes Posted 1 Sep 2011 , 11:35pm
post #16 of 18

First let me say to ninjacaker, you will be happy to know I have changed the name of the facebook page to the Colorado Cottage Food movement icon_biggrin.gif

And now for an important update. I was contacted this past Sunday by Colorado State Rep Laura Bradford....met with her on Tuesday....and... SHE IS HAVING THE BILL DRAFTED RIGHT NOW!!! This is big news for us!! We looked at Utah's cottage food bill as something to go off of. We crossed out some things and added some other things. Once it is finished being drafted I'll take another look at it with her and discuss any more changes. She has until December 1st to turn in a final draft to the committee and then it will be voted on in the spring 2012!! That means it is time to start voicing our opinions about what a cottage food law would mean to us!! It is important to get your local reps on board with this so they vote yes this spring!
I am on the facebook page more than CC so for the most resent updates go to www.facebook.com/ColoradoCottageLaw
(Yes I know the word "FOOD" is not in that link but I could not change the username on the web address)
Pass this information along and get ready for some big changes!!

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AvaSweetCakes Posted 2 Sep 2011 , 9:50pm
post #17 of 18

I have been getting a lot of questions about the inclusion of jams, jellies, pickles, salsas, and honey in the Cottage Food Bill. Unfortunately these types of foods do not fall under non hazardous food. This is not to say that they will not be apart of the bill at some point in the future but as for now I do not believe they will be included in the bill. It is important to keep things simple because the more we add the more likely it will be voted down.

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debbief Posted 2 Sep 2011 , 10:15pm
post #18 of 18

Thanks Mande! I'll go back and re-like icon_smile.gif

I signed the petition a few months ago, but had several others sign it this last week.

Thanks for all your hard work!

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