Food Rule Changes Misunderstood Says Ag Dept Spokesman

The Wyoming Department of Agriculture is proposing changes to the state's food safety rules.

There's opposition to some of the changes, but Ag Department spokesman, Derek Grant, says some of that opposition may be based on misinformation. Grant points to three areas.

He says there are no changes to raw milk rules. Co-ownership, or cow share programs, he says were outlawed many years ago. However, the proposed rules would allow sole owners of cows to serve raw milk in their homes.

Another confusion concerns leafy greens.

"You can still cut pieces of lettuce and things like that from the stem, wash them off and then go sell them at the farmers market. Where the cut leafy-green restriction comes in, is if you cut it up and then put it in a bag and then sell it or something like that."

Lastly, he says the sale of ungraded farm eggs at a farmers market is still an option. The proposed rule changes would put restrictions on producers who wish to sell graded eggs to licensed establishments like a restaurant.

The comment period on the proposed rules closes at end of business Wednesday May 23rd..

Here's a link to the proposed rule changes, http://wyagric.state.wy.us/component/content/article/34-agnews/267-wyoming-food-rule-change-to-2011