SARL Members and Alumni

Jan. 1 was supposed to be the date when, thanks to a new law, California cooks could apply to their local health department for permits to sell food cooked in their home kitchens. But because of the wording in AB626, which Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law in September, cooks may have to wait months or years for the opportunity to do so.The Homemade Foods Operations Act, introduced by Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia, D-Coachella (Riverside County), is the widest-reaching “cottage food” law in the country. [node:read-more:link]

Farm tractors and other slow-moving vehicles will be allowed to travel a little faster on New York roads under a new law. Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently signed legislation that raises the speed at which slow-moving vehicles can travel from 25 mph to 35 mph. Farm vehicles and construction equipment must have orange triangular signs indicating that they are slow-moving vehicles. [node:read-more:link]

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball today announced that more than $42 million awarded through Governor Cuomo’s 2018 Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) initiative will support the growth of the New York’s farms and food and beverage industries across the State.  The REDC awards were announced by the Governor on December 18, with more than 80 agriculture-related projects identified as key to advancing the State’s ten regional economies. [node:read-more:link]

Former Gov. Paul LePage’s legal battles tested the limits of gubernatorial power and cost the state over $900,000 since 2014, according to The Associated Press’ review of a database of state government finances. Newly sworn-in Democratic Gov. Janet Mills comes into office with a handful of those lawsuits still pending. That includes several lawsuits between Mills and LePage over their constitutional authority, and a 2015 lawsuit pending in the 1st U.S. [node:read-more:link]

With 638 Wisconsin farms shut down in 2018, it is no secret the state is battling a dairy crisis. A joint effort between the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and the University of Wisconsin system, the task force’s goal is to ensure a successful and profitable future for the industry, much like the first dairy task force tried to do in 1985. The new proposals, passed December 13, hinge on state funding. [node:read-more:link]

Rick Snyder says there is insufficient scientific evidence that cage-free eggs are superior to conventional eggs in terms of animal welfare or food safety.In one of his last acts as governor of Michigan, Rick Snyder vetoed a bill that would establish the effective date of requirements that all eggs produced in Michigan come from cage-free laying systems.The 2009 law that created and phased in new standards for cage-free housing for certain animals would have been effective October 12, 2019. [node:read-more:link]

The state is offering money to companies who hire workers to telecommute from rural Utah. The incentives -- as much as $6,000 per full-time job -- are meant to help boost unemployment in rural areas."It’s a great way for the businesses along the Wasatch Front that are having a challenging filling these positions. Things are booming here. The demand is great. Don’t go to India, look to our rural counties," said Rebecca Dilg, the rural and community outreach manager for the Governor's Office of Economic Development.The Utah State Legislature approved spending $1.5 million for the program. [node:read-more:link]

After ringing in the New Year, you'll have a new option for picking up your dinner in Oregon when a law allowing people to harvest and eat roadkill goes into effect. Lawmakers approved the measure back in 2017, which states that states “salvaging deer and elk struck by vehicles is legal in Oregon.”People must complete and submit an application for a permit within 24 hours of salvaging the elk or deer. The application cannot be submitted beforehand because it requires specific information about location and time of the salvage. [node:read-more:link]

A man in Fairfax County said his 10-year-old boxer chewed the floor trim, peed on pillows and scared easily from thunder. He insisted his pet needed treatment for separation anxiety. [node:read-more:link]

Immigrant parents in Maryland concerned about being deported may now designate someone to care for their children under an expansion of emergency guardianship measures that take effect Tuesday. [node:read-more:link]