Today, the House Agriculture Committee will consider SB 357 concerning industrial hemp. It authorizes the state seed commissioner (I didn’t know we had one of those!) to authorize the cultivation and production of industrial hemp. Among other things, industrial hemp is defined as the plant of the Cannabis sativa seed that contains only a limited amount of THC. It makes the state seed commissioner’s authority subject to federal approval. It prohibits the unlicensed cultivation of hemp. The applicant for a production license has to, among other things, certify that they haven’t been convicted of a drug related misdemeanor or felony in the past 10 years. They have to agree to a background check and inspections by the state police.
The committee will also consider SB 179 concerning regulation of poultry and egg producers. Basically, it allows small vendors to operate with fewer regulations. The digest provides:
Allows poultry farms to slaughter and process up to a certain number of poultry annually without inspection under federal regulations. Provides that a local unit of government may not by ordinance or resolution require licensure, certification, or inspection for food or food products of an individual vendor, farmer, or bona fide egg producer who meets certain requirements. Provides that a farmer or bona fide egg producer with an annual egg production from a flock of 3,000 hens or fewer: (1) is not required to have a farmers market retail permit to sell eggs at a farmers market; and (2) may sell eggs: (1) to a restaurant or grocery store; or (2) at a farmer’s market or roadside stand in Indiana if the eggs meet U.S. Consumer Grade B standards.
Need to look in your backyard for the State Seed Commissioner (http://oisc.purdue.edu) Many years ago I worked 1/2 time for them for about a year and a half.
3000 hens is not a small operation although it would not be enough to make a sole living from selling eggs. Assuming 1/2 egg per hen per day (an under-estimate for some breeds) that would be 1500 eggs/day. Say 125 cartons/day. $300+ gross/day for “locally-produced” eggs. $100,000+/year for a lot of work. That said there has to be some cut-off between the hobbyist and the commercial producer. Why not 3000 hens?