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Officials say changes to on‑farm home processing license would ease small‑farm sales
Summary
State presenters discussed proposed amendments to the on‑farm home processing license — including lifting an ownership requirement and adjusting a $40,000 revenue cap — and said the rules would exempt meat and cheese from the cap if adopted.
State officials told Montgomery County committee members that the Department of Health and Department of Environment proposed rule changes that could broaden access to on‑farm home processing licenses and make them more economically viable for small growers. Martin Prew summarized the problem: "The annual revenue cap for this on farm home processing license was at $40,000," he said, noting that cap historically was lower than the unregulated cottage food threshold and could discourage farm‑based producers from formalizing sales.
Prew said the proposed changes would remove a land‑ownership requirement and, as drafted, exempt meat and cheese from the revenue cap so producers of those products would not be constrained by the prior ceiling. He cautioned that the proposals remain in public comment and that timing depends on feedback and standard adoption processes. "Public comments are still open through Monday," he said, urging stakeholders to submit views before regulators finalize rules.
