Getting a license as Limited wholesale food producer

[MartinP]

Has anyone on here actually gone trhough the hoops to get lcensed? What is involved?
I only plan to make maybe 20gal a year. Do you know of where to get information on this license or do you really need if all you do is sell from sugar shack. So far all I have done is give away to friends.

[3rdgen.maple]

Check your states agriculture regulations. In NY if you sell directly out of your house you do not need a license. If you are advertising and selling in a store or you buy someone elses product and repack it you do. It all starts with your local health inspector.

[dschultz]

MartinP,Go to your nearest dairy farm and ask them who their milk inspector is and if they have the phone number for that person.If they don't ask them who you can contact to get the number,then call the inspector.They will answer any question's who have,cause there the one's you have to go through to get your license.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Just go on line and play the search game you will get there. I think the hoops are easy and the cost was about $90.00 I look at it as a way of proving your trying to do it right. When I tell people that are wondering about the (I made it myself) factor and then tell them Im licensed by the state it helps. My sons give away small bottles to his class and I let the school know that its made in a certifed kithen they dont have a problem

[kirkhedding]

In the State of Michigan it is required to have a license for selling maple syrup. According to the state agriculture dept. it is considered a processed food. The license cost's $70.00 a year. You'll have to find out who in your area is the inspector and talk with them. Mine was great to work with, but i'm sure that might not be true for them all. Their is a web site through the State of Michigan's site. www.mich.gov
Kirk

[mark schaefer]

There aren't a lot of "hoops" to get a license in Mich. I felt the same way several years ago when I first got licensed. Our inspector was very helpful,
she came out looked things over and told me what I needed to change.
The main thing was clean water source, hand wash area and rough service lamps near the evaporator. My sugar shack was built new so I tried to incorporate most of it in my plan.
If you went into a restaurant and they had chickens and raccoons:lol: in the kitchen would you want to eat their food? Good luck.

[Haynes Forest Products]

In Wisc. you dont need a big shinny new bldg with floor drains and hot and cold running water. You need to look at it as 2 differant operations.

1) gathering and evaporating sap to syrup into a container

2) Bottling finished syrup into a container

I know 2 operations that dont have running water in their shacks BUT they have hot water available from the preheater. Now days inspectors want to see SS, cleanable surfaces, GOOD house keeping, When it comes to bottling you can't do it in the house. It must be in a clean area with hot water seperate from your house by a wall and door, if you use city or well water it must be tested and certifyed, clean containers, No food or drinks, Proper temps. The law does not say that you have to filter your syrup they only ask that you bottle it at a proper temp. selling bulk syrup you can bulk pack right from the evap without filtering and you dont even have to have it at the right density as long as the buyer is willing to pay you for it!!!

Its like Beer if you make stinky cloudy crap with Alcohol in it from grain and hops and its bottled in a safe manner its Beer.

[Sugarmaker]

Hanyes,
Hows Maple?
HUMMMM in PA we get inspected but not sure of the rules for wholesale food produce? Sounds different in each state.
Haynes, some of the same general guidelines apply during our PA inspection. Cleanliness, Stainless steel everything is good, covered lights, hot and cold water source available. cement flooring is preferred.

Chris

[Haynes Forest Products]

If your asking about the dog she is doing well. Nothing better than a 10 year old Lab set in her ways.

[Sugarmaker]

Haynes,
Yes our 12 year old golden pretty much thinks she runs the show!

[KenWP]

If they can sell Scotch legally then you could sell almost anything. I have no idea what rules weh ave here in good old Quebec but I bet they are weird strict and pricey. We have a saying here Quebec Faire which is a joke actually but you need to speak french and understand a province which tries to do everything different then everybody else.
I can just imagine what will happen if I ever get enough syrup to actually sell some. By the way there isn't not license numbers on any syrup product sold here but there is from Ontario.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Now I understand why we didnt try and Colonize the north and fight the French for the land:o

[KenWP]

Duh the Britsh ran off the French back in the 1700s already. How you figure they got out of Canada to burn Washington in 1812. My Lodge has neat history here on the border to do with that war and prisioner exchanges.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Wait your saying ALL the french got run out then why did the English start talking funny?

[The Birdman]

All the land in canada and 95% live with in 100 miles US boarder. Whats up with that.:confused:

[KenWP]

Wait your saying ALL the french got run out then why did the English start talking funny?

It's called politics. Same way the 2nd amendment says one thing and they try and do another thing like a place called California.

[hartman's sugarbush]

You have to go through the dept. of ag food service .Have gone through the procedure they will inspect your operation then tell you what needs to be done. You need a water test and clean facility were you bottle. I made a special room with triple stainless sinks and seperate sink for washing your hands. They are very helpfull and easy to work with.