Bill > HB2158

This bill exempts beekeepers in Kansas who meet specific requirements from needing a food establishment or food processing plant license under the Kansas Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act when selling packaged honey and honeycombs. To qualify, beekeepers must package their products on their own property, label them correctly with information like the beekeeper's name and address, net weight, and a disclaimer stating the product is not subject to routine inspection by the Kansas Department of Agriculture. The honey and honeycombs must be "unaltered," meaning they are in their raw, original state after harvesting and straining, without pasteurization or added ingredients, and must originate from hives located in Kansas. Additionally, the beekeeper's annual gross sales from honey and honeycombs cannot exceed $35,000, they must follow minimum sanitary standards for packaging, and maintain sales records for the Kansas Department of Agriculture. Beekeepers meeting these criteria are also not required to have specialized facilities or equipment like temperature-controlled storage or a commercially permitted kitchen. The bill also amends existing law to add this beekeeper exemption to a list of entities that do not require a food establishment license and repeals the old version of the law.