Taken from an email sent by:

Cindy Fake
Horticulture & Small Farms Advisor
UC Cooperative Extension, Placer & Nevada Counties
11477 E Avenue
Auburn, California, 95603 USA
530.889.7385
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

“Please take the time to comment and let CDFA know your opinion as a producer or local ag supporter. I know you are all busy, and there is always something, but this is important because it has allowed the development of farm-stands that contribute to the economic viability of our local agriculture.  There are proposed regulatory changes to the CA Direct Marketing Code that could adversely affect you.

Attached are the documents (Click here).  Please read through them carefully. There are some good changes proposed that would legalize sale to restaurants, etc. through Certified Farmers’ Markets (currently a common practice, but not in sync with the regs).  HOWEVER, there is added language on page 4 that could affect all of you who have farm stands or whose produce is sold at someone else’s farm stand.  “At or near the point of production” has been interpreted in Placer & Nevada as within the county.  It now reads:(z) At or Near the Point of Production. For this articles’ purposes, “at or near the point of production” means not beyond the first paved county or primary road.  If this change is allowed to stand, it will preclude the sale of your products except right near your farm.  This would negatively impact many small businesses and farm that are not in good locations for selling their products to the consuming public.

If you have any comments regarding the proposed changes, the Department will accept written comments between September 22, 2010 and October 7, 2010. All written comments must be submitted to the Department no later than 5:00 p.m. on October 7, 2010, and addressed to:

Steve Patton, Compliance

Chief Inspection and Compliance Branch

California Department of Food and Agriculture

1220 N Street

Sacramento, CA 95814

Telephone: (916) 445-2180;

Fax: (916) 445-2427

All written comments received by October 7, 2010, which pertain to the indicated changes will be reviewed and responded to by the Department’s staff as part of the compilation of the rulemaking file. Please limit your comments to the modifications of the text.  Thank you – your input is really needed!”

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