Montgomery, AL – An Alabama state Senator took action after a county health department threatened to shut down a constituent's home bakery.
Sen. Rusty Glover says an old woman from his district would bake and sell cakes from her house, until the health department threatened to shut her down if she didn't submit to an inspection.
A Senate panel on Wednesday signed off on Glover's bill to exempt that type of so-called cottage industry from inspection. Alabamians would be allowed to sell from their homes baked goods, canned jams or jellies or dried herbs.
The goods would have to be labeled with contact information for the producer. They would also have to carry a disclaimer that the food isn't regulated.
Glover says he plans on amending the measure to limit sales to $5,000.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)