HB 1685-FN is a bill that redefines "homestead foods" as "artisan foods" and creates an exemption for artisan food operations. It allows the production and sale of artisan food products requiring refrigeration. The bill also establishes guidelines for the safe handling and storage of ingredients and finished products, as well as rules for labeling and sampling of artisan food products. The Department of Health and Human Services will be responsible for enforcing these rules and may impose fines for violations. The bill also prohibits local governments from imposing more restrictive regulations on artisan food operations than state law. The Department of Health and Human Services will be required to issue public service announcements to educate the public about the laws and rules governing homemade foods intended for sale. The bill will result in a revenue loss to the state general fund due to the elimination of fees paid by homestead food operations and other types of food establishments. The Department of Health and Human Services will also incur additional expenses for investigating foodborne illnesses caused by unregulated foods. The Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food and the NH Municipal Association have stated that the bill will have no fiscal impact.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 143-A:3, 143-A:5, 143-A:11-a, 143-A:13