I've seen a couple posts about selling eggs, cheese, milk, etc. Since I have just moved into the area (Boise Co. Idaho), I am wondering what licenses I need, if I have to contact the state or can go by the County rules, etc. etc.

I am not on my land just yet - if it is humanly possible I will be before winter. Just kicking around ideas for a little extra income when I get the chance. I'll take any and ALL advice you can offer!!!

Thanks in advance!!!!

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), March 15, 2001

Answers

Contact your county extension agency to see what you need to do

-- Gary (gws@redbird.net), March 16, 2001.

Just sell to friends and by word of mouth. On a homestead scale there won't be any problems and demand will be far greater than supply. You probably can't legally sell unpasteurised milk products anyway. If you're selling gallons of milk, you'll probably need the bottles returned, so this only works well with friends and neighbors. Good luck.

-- David C (fleece@eritter.net), March 16, 2001.

Sue, David's got the right idea. Milk products are highly regulated throughout the U.S. What my wife has done to get around it, is sell the goat to a customer for a dollar (on paper) and then just do all the work getting the customer's milk from goat to his or her refrigerator. You farm, they drink. The profit's the same. And you actually still have the goat. As for eggs, I believe you just hang out a shingle, and sell. Perhaps someone else could verify that for me.

-- Action Dude (theactiondude@yahoo.com), March 16, 2001.

Sue - There are different regulations in different states - some places you can sell milk with no problem. In other states, you cannot. You can always sell it for "animal consumption only" and get around any problems. Or like stated above, only sell it to people you positively know are your friends.

-- Dianne (willow@config.com), March 16, 2001.

Here in PA you can not sell raw milk for human consumption. Never have myself but think you can sell it for pets and other farm animals. Guess you wouldn't really know what people do with it after you have sold it to them and then it is their responsiblity if they do drink it. Have had people ask me for milk for their children but never have sold it due to any possible legal problems. If their children were to sneeze they would blame my goats milk and that sort of thing. When I have loads of goats milk in the spring I haul it across the road to our neighbors and feed to their baby pigs. Makes good neighbor relations. When I get overloaded with my eggs I take them down to the local livestock auction every week and make a few bucks. Not really profitable but then do not have to deal with any public complaints and such. Hope this helps.

-- Helena Di Maio (windyacs @ptdprolog.net), March 22, 2001.