Rejoice, honey enthusiasts!!! The Florida Department of Agriculture has deregulated the sale of honey and deemed honey one of the Sunshine State’s “cottage foods.” This means that smale-scale honey operations (under $15,000 a year in sales) no longer require a permit to sell and can prepare their product in a kitchen not inspected by the Department of Agriculture.
Other “cottage foods” in Florida include rolls, biscuits, fruit pies, trail mix and sunburns.
The Orlando Sentinel reports that honey was added to this list of “cottage foods” because honey does not support the growth of bacteria and fungus. Honey was even discovered in the tombs of Egypt!
While being a “cottage food” provides some freedom to the beekeepers, it also forces some restrictions. Beekeepers can sell their items directly to consumers, with labels indicating the product hasn’t been inspected by any health department. This means that they can’t sell their honey over the internet or to restaurants and grocery stores. They’re restricted to places like road-side stands and markets.
Congratulations, stalwart beekeepers!!!
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