markstambler

Baker Mark Stambler advocated for the new Cottage Food Law.

Homemade Food Act Supports Local Food Initiatives

Educational Workshops to take place in Lone Pine, Bishop

On January 1 2013, the California Homemade Food Act will become law, enabling thousands of people across California to start home-based food production businesses.

The law, also called the Cottage Food Law, legalizes production of certain non-potentially hazardous food items like certain bread and pastries, mole, and some jams, jellies and preserves, for direct sale to customers from the producer’s home, or at farmer’s markets, festivals and events.  The law also provides for a county certification and permitting process for home food producers wishing to sell food indirectly, for example through local restaurants or stores.

Mark Stambler, a bread baker and member of the LA Bread Bakers Union, helped write the law and usher it through the state legislature.  Stambler will lead two educational forums hosted by Metabolic Studio on November 10 in both Lone Pine and Bishop, to help Eastern Sierra residents understand the law.

“When it goes into effect in 2013, the California Homemade Food Act has the potential to make substantial, positive change in the state’s food environment, broadening the focus to include a much wider array of community-sourced food, “  explains Stambler.   “This will be great not only for consumers, but also for thousands of home-based food producers who will, for the first time, be in a position to use their talents, their love of cooking and baking, and their kitchen to earn extra income for their family.”

The Homemade Food Act could have a substantial impact on households and communities in the Eastern Sierra, increasing self-sufficiency and decreasing our reliance on foods produced outside the region.

Homemade Food Act Workshops with Mark Stambler:

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Metabolic Studio IOU Garden, Lone Pine

Main St. @ Willow

10 am-11 30 am

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Jill Kinmont Booth School, Bishop

166 Grandview @West Line

2 30 pm-4 pm.

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