Call to Action:

Do you care about expanding access to raw milk and homemade foods?  Then it’s time to make your voice heard at the Texas Capitol!

Two great bills have been set for a hearing before the House Public Health Committee next Monday morning, March 31!

HB 1669 would set in statute the provision that Grade A Raw for Retail dairies can sell raw milk directly to consumers, so that the health department can’t change that in the future.  It goes further and allows the sales to occur off-farm, so that farmers can sell at locations like farmers’ markets.  It also provides for individuals to coordinate group purchases, which is currently a grey area.

HB 2588 goes even further than the bill that passed the Senate committee last week in expanding the options for cottage foods. It provides that cottage food operators (CFOs) can sell any food directly to consumers except for meat, poultry, and seafood products, raw milk, ice and frozen desserts, and low-acid canned foods.  This opens the door for hot vegetarian meals and much more!  The bill also raises the cap to $100,000 indexed for inflation, allows CFOs to sell non-perishable foods through vendors, simplifies options for sampling, and more.

We need your help to move these bills forward!

1.  Can you make it to Austin in person?  The more people who register in support of the bill, the stronger the push to move it forward! You can register whether or not you want to stand up and testify.

You can register in person in support of the bill between 7 and 8 a.m. on Monday morning, March 31. Find instructions on how to register here and we have more details below.

2. If you can’t come in person, you can submit written comments online anytime between now and 8 am on Monday.  Go to House Public Comment, fill out your info, then scroll down to Public Health March 31 and choose HB 1669 by Hull for comments on the raw milk bill, or HB 2588 by Hull for the cottage food bill.

Tip: keep your comment short and simple.  Start by stating that you urge the legislators to vote yes on the bill and then share why it matters to you.

You can submit comments on both bills, you will just have to go through the process twice.

3.  And, either way, call your State Representative and urge them to co-author both bills!  You can find out who represents you here: Who Represents Me?

Sample script: Hi, my name is ___ and I am a constituent.  I am calling to ask my Representative to co-author two great bills: HB 1669 and HB 2588.  These bills are scheduled for a committee hearing on Monday.  Both of them help small farmers better provide healthy food for our community.

Share why this matters to YOU -- your story on cottage foods and/or raw milk -- in a few sentences.  Keep it short, but personal!

With your help, we can expand the opportunities for farmers and access to healthy food for consumers!

More information about the bills and how to register in support is below…

In solidarity,

Judith McGeary
Founder and Executive Director

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MORE INFORMATION ON THE BILLS & REGISTRATION:

Committee: House Public Health

Date: Monday, March 31, 2025

Time: 8:00 am -- the witness registration typically starts an hour ahead (7 am)

Place: Room E2.030 (in the Capitol Extension, floor E2) Map

To register your support, you simply go to the Capitol and look for one of the kiosks on floor E2.  You can watch a video of the process here, it's not hard.

You will want to register FOR each bill, NOT TESTIFYING.  That will put your name on the official witness list - which legislators look at! - and you can choose to stay for the hearing or head out and get on with your day.

If you do want to testify, mark FOR and TESTIFYING.  Please plan to keep your testimony to no more than 3 minutes, which is about 1 page typed.  Don't spend that time on political or philosophical arguments .... focus on how you are impacted by the current law and how the bill would help you.  And please email Judith@FarmAndRanchFreedom.org with any questions and to coordinate.

You can read HB 1669 here: Texas Legislature Online - 89(R) Text for HB 1669

Please note that we expect some changes in committee. Instead of having “raw milk coordinators,” the amended bill will recognize that consumers can designate agents to act on their behalf. The outcome will be the same – individuals and nonprofits will be able to coordinate group buys and drops.  But they won’t have to register with the state health department.

You can read HB 2588 here: Texas Legislature Online - 89(R) Text for HB 2588.  This bill includes everything that is in the other cottage foods bill (SB 541), plus it expands the types of foods that can be sold directly to consumer even further; includes baked goods in the allowed foods to be sold through a vendor; and has provisions to make sampling and donating cottage foods easier.

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