FRANKFORT-Home bakers and canners would be able to legally sell their products
directly to consumers within Kentucky under a bill that was approved today in the
Kentucky House.
House Bill 263 sponsor Rep. Richard Heath, R-Mayfield, said before a House committee
vote on the bill earlier this month that HB 263 would give home bakers, canners and
other “home-based processors” the ability to sell the same homemade products that
farmers already sell.
Products that would be allowed for sale under HB 263 include processed whole fruit
and vegetables, mixed greens, jams, jellies, sweet sorghum syrup, preserves, fruit
butter, bread, fruit pies, cakes or cookies.
Any of these products could be sold from the processor’s home, by pick-up or
delivery, at markets, roadside stands, community events, or online within Kentucky
under the bill, said Heath.
“So House Bill 263 makes it allowable for home-based processors to directly offer
their products for sale” while spelling out that home-based processors are not
farmers or retail stores, he added.
The bill was unanimously approved by the House Health and Family Services Committee
on Feb. 15.
Speaking in support of HB 263 in committee was Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, D-Louisville,
who said she recalled when the General Assembly made similar statutory changes to
benefit farmers market events.
“We did that for the farmers markets, so I think this is a good bill,” she said.
HB 263 passed on the House consent calendar by a vote of 83-0. It now goes to the
Senate for consideration.