Sweet Bill Perfected in the Senate

This week, Senate Bill 500, which I sponsored, was perfected and ordered printed. This measure would allow local small honey producers the ability to harvest and bottle honey without the requirement of being the direct seller.

Honey is known for being a safe, natural product that does not spoil and prevents the growth of bacteria. Currently, honey producers can bottle their own honey, but this also requires them to directly sell it to the end consumer. If the sale of their product is not a direct sale, the producer is required to have a commercial grade inspected kitchen. The cost of installing these kitchens could be more than $20,000. Even renting them could be several thousand dollars. In addition to the current expenses of maintaining the hives, this could potentially bankrupt Missouri’s small honey producers.

Most of Missouri’s beekeepers raise bees as a hobby. The high costs of these kitchens, paired with maintenance fees, can dissuade honey producers and beekeepers from continuing their services. Most of the compensation received from honey sales are reinvested in the costs associated with production.

Since there is no food production in the bottling of honey and the Department of Health shows no food-borne illnesses associated with honey, Senate Bill 500 would loosen the belt on production restrictions and remove the burdensome requirements these hobby beekeepers are experiencing with distribution and sales. This measure would exempt small producers of honey from the health standards and regulations associated with commercial food producers.

This issue was brought to me from a beekeeper in the 10th Senate District and has since become a priority piece of legislation for beekeepers across the state and the Missouri State Beekeepers Association.  It is my hope that this legislation will make it to the Governor’s desk for his approval and provide some regulatory relief for Missourians that play such an important role in our state’s agricultural industry.

This bill still awaits a final approval vote from the Senate before moving to the House for consideration.  A companion bill in the House, HB 1093, has also been perfected and needs one more vote before moving to the Senate.