Bill > S3039

Introduced Session

This bill would authorize a farmer or other person to use ground-harvested fruit to produce alcohol, cider, baked goods, or other value-added products for sale or distribution in the State, provided that the final, value-added products are pasteurized or otherwise appropriately prepared or treated, as may be necessary to destroy microorganisms that might cause disease, spoilage, or undesirable fermentation. The bill would further authorize a farmer or other person to sell or distribute ground-harvested fruit to another person for use in the production or processing of food or other value-added products, which third-party use is to comport with the bill's provisions regarding pasteurization of, or other appropriate destruction of microorganisms in, the final product. The bill defines "value-added product" to mean an agricultural commodity or product that: has undergone a change in physical state, was produced in a manner that enhances its value, as demonstrated through a business plan showing the enhanced value, is physically segregated in a manner that enhances its value, or is aggregated and marketed as a locally produced agricultural food product, and which, as a result of such change in physical state or such manner of production, marketing, or segregation, results in an expanded customer base for the agricultural commodity or product and enables the producer to retain a greater portion of the revenue derived from the marketing, processing, or physical segregation of the agricultural commodity or product. Under the bill's provisions, if a value-added product containing ground-harvested fruit is sold or distributed, offered for sale or distribution, or possessed for the purposes of sale or distribution as a food product in this State and has not been pasteurized or otherwise appropriately prepared or treated, as required by the bill, the product will be subject to confiscation, condemnation, and destruction or disposal by the Department of Health, in accordance with the provisions of existing law pertaining to the seizure and condemnation of adulterated foods.

AI Summary

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Mike Testa (R)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee (on 04/08/2024)

Official Document