Bob's Dairy Supply



Wisconsin Ag News Headlines
Walker Signs Egg Bill, Ag Tourism Liability Measures
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 04/17/2014

Governor Scott Walker has signed another 55 bills into law this week, including the new egg sales law which reduces the licensing burden on small-scale egg producers so they can sell eggs more easily in the marketplace. The measure exempts small-scale egg producers who sell eggs directly from the farm to consumers, at farmers' markets, and on egg sales routes, from having to acquire a food processing plant license for egg collection and packing activities. Small-scale producers are those with 150 birds or fewer.

"Even though the new law allows small-scale producers to sell their eggs without a food processing plant license, they still are required to have a retail food establishment license to sell their eggs at farmers’ markets and on egg sales routes," said Dr. Steve Ingham, administrator of DATCP's Division of Food Safety. "They still have to meet some basic food safety requirements."

Egg producers covered by this law must still adhere to certain conditions. For example, eggs must be sold directly to the consumer, not to a wholesaler or distributor. And the number of egg-laying birds in the egg producer's flock must not exceed 150.

Also signed by Walker was Assembly Bill 746, which limits civil liability for agricultural tourism providers by including them under the Recreational Use Law. This effort aims to protects landowners from liability when they open their property to specific recreational activities.

Other bills approved by the governor's signature include:

** Assembly Bill 376: allows solid waste companies that process waste wood mainly used for energy recovery and fuel, to substitute financial criteria to prove they are financially sound.

** Assembly Bill 594: relieves four small utilities that voluntarily had a portfolio comparatively strong in renewables when the Renewable Portfolio Standards baseline was set. The bill also releases their ratepayers of the costs associated with their visibly disproportionate 2015 RPS requirements.

** Senate Bill 434: improves food safety and streamlines the certification process for food handlers in Wisconsin. Applicants must complete an approved examination to earn a certificate, valid for five years.

** Assembly Bill 589: streamlines regulations; allows Milwaukee to enter into an agreement with DATCP to issue licenses to retail food establishments at any time during the year, also allows Milwaukee to enter into an agreement with DHS to issue licenses to restaurants or bed and breakfast establishments at any time during the year.

** Assembly Bill 744: reduces cost for dairy plants, food warehouses, food processing plants, retail food establishments, and meat establishments that get a license during the last three months of the year, by allowing them to hold the license for the following year without paying an additional fee.

** Assembly Bill 745: eliminates confusion about the milk procurement fee rate and sets the due date to the 25th of each month.

** Assembly Bill 743: allows all-terrain vehicles and utility terrain vehicles to cross highway bridges that are less than 1,000 feet, if allowed by local government.


Other Wisconsin Headlines
Real Wisconsin Cheese Curds
Professional Dairy Producers Foundation
Copyright © 2024 - Farms.com. All Rights Reserved.