The Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development met Wednesday afternoon to discuss four bills on the agenda.
Senate Bill 285 relates to homemade food, better known as “cottage foods,” being sold throughout West Virginia. The would allow unhazardous cottage foods to be sold not only at farmers’ markets, but also at the producer’s home and at a third party establishment such as a retail store. The bill is similar to other states with lighter restrictions on the selling of cottage foods.
Two amendments were adopted to the current bill. The first amendment would clarify the different hazardous and unhazardous foods mentioned in the bill. The second amendment would define retail establishments.
The bill was unanimously approved, and was referred to the Committee on the Government Organization.
Senate Bill 259 would expand the Coyote Control Program to protect livestock throughout the state. An increasing number of coyotes are breeding with wolves, and is causing a problem for farmers protecting their livestock.
Senate Bill 19 relates to the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program. The program provides citizens with a $20 voucher to use at a farmers’ market. The bill would increase the voucher to $30.
Senate Bill 14 would create the West Virginia Farm-to-School Grant Program. The program would encourage public school to find local healthy produce to provide for their students, and would also provide an incentive for farmers to sell their produce to public schools.
All three bills were approved and were referred to the Committee on Finance.
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