FDA possibly stopping small cosmetic/soap business

[PurpleHippie]

This really disappoints me. Please watch the You Tube video on

FDA Globalization Act of 2008. Fees of 12,000 for selling soap, cosmetics, lip balm...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW9SlqiA_DI

[bugtussle]

Very interesting! Do you think the legislation can be stopped? Seems like everything is against the small soap & B&B businesses. Carole

[LaVida]

wow, imagine how many of us couldn't afford to be in business?

[LaVida]

I can totally understand the FDA mandating regulations and implementing a closer eye on all products being sold in the us (small businesses as well) butI don't agree with the fees being as astronimical as they are trying to place on everyone!

[kandlekrazy]

It's really sad that most of the small businesses doing b&b will be forced to close. I think we should all do whatever we can to stop this, you just never know if we can help...if we do nothing, for sure we won't win.

[gloworm]

Here is a petition and more info on this Bill:

http://blondesense.blogspot.com/2008/06/fda-globalization-act-of-2008.html

http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/indie_business/2008/06/stop-the-fda-gl.html

Glo

[bunkie68]

Wow, that's scary. Off to sign the petition. It's not that I'm against having safe products - I'm all for that. But when I might gross $5000 in a good year, it's not doing me any favors to have $2000 or more of that going to governmental fees.

[Juggy]

Absolutely freaking amazing how the government wants to regulate everything! They want to "punish" small companies in the cosmetic and soap business but can't even adequately safely regulate all the crap that comes in from overseas that has caused injury and death to people and animals. Just looks like another way for the government to stick it to the little guy (like times are not hard enough already) so they can have more of our money. I signed the petition, only took 5 minutes.

[elfcat]

Very interesting! Do you think the legislation can be stopped? Seems like everything is against the small soap & B&B businesses. Carole

It certainly can't hurt to try! Sign the petitions, let people know what's going on and how it will affect them and you would be surprised how much of a response you can get.

If we do nothing than it will pass and I simply can not afford it. In fact, I think most of us can't.

[Darbla]

The !@#%^& government makes me sick. They don't get the concept of a free market. The businesses that provide great products that consumers like and find safe and useful stay in business, and the ones with crappy products go by the wayside. It's almost self-policing, but those !@#%^&*(*$# want their fingers in the pie so they can continue to stuff their pockets no matter how many of us it ruins.

Edited to add: Actually they do get the concept of a free market but they don't give a rip about us, as long as they're living like royalty.

[tarynjms]

that would pretty much shut down 1/2 of etsy. Those fees are ridiculous. Thank you for posting this.

[kinipela]

Probably more than 1/2.

[candlebean]

I sent the link to everyone in my address book...I watched the video, but it didn't say when they were supposed to vote on this law. Does anyone know?

[scentsme]

Is there a way to post this on etsy or send it to etsy members. I think they'd probably want to fight this as well. I've only shopped on etsy once, but that is all handcrafted/small business. Is there a chance this won't come to be?

[thesoapbox]

This has already been discussed on etsy. There was one person that posted about an Etsian who worked on Capital Hill and they had said "it most likely take forever to go through (if ever) - it's been in the works awhile and there are plenty of big guys who are opposed as well."

So who knows, but they have talked about it over there on the forums.

Angi

[MissMary]

http://www.craftserver.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72304&highlight=legislation

I posted my thoughts in an earlier thread.

[PurpleHippie]

Maybe it might take forever, maybe not. I personally believe that we should do all that we can before it is too late. It's all about big business IMO. Push the little guy out and only the big corporations can afford those prices. I almost hate to say this but I think our candle maker friends might be next. JMO. It's good that it's being talked about on other forums. I hope everyone tries to get the word out as much as possible. This will also be a problem for suppliers. We are the main source of their business I would imagine.

[deb12c]

I know this will get lost in here, maybe I should start a new post???

We really need to contact our congressmen/women and let them know our views on this. They will be voting on this.

https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

[socoolsoap]

I think it's a good idea they want to implement something like this. But I think $12k is high.

Think about all those get rich quick people who start up soap and candle businesses only to make a bad name for the rest of us by not learning and spending time and having a desire to offer quality products??

[MissMary]

That was my point in the post I made in the other thread. I'm not thrilled about the fees in any capacity, but man, look at all these fly by nighters (not here, just in general), and all those companies that sell "soap it yourself" in a box, guaranteeing this type of stuff (same with candles). I'd like to see some changes in the industry as a whole, but make it a sliding scale to accommodate revenues of each individual business.

[PurpleHippie]

I just throwing out an idea here, not saying I am correct. What about a requirement that the small business must carry insurance for their products? Most of us have insurance but I know alot of these fly by nighters like the type mentioned in the above post and they certainly don't have product insurance. I am just thinking that maybe if they had to invest something($) in getting insurance they would be the type of people interested in truly learning, studying and testing their products. :undecided

Miss Mary,

I love your avatar!!

[cbv1]

I have insurance, always have. To insure I have an excellent product I have spent a lot of money on testing my lotion in a FDA certified lab. I don't make much money selling my product, I spend way more than I make. But, I believe in the quality of my product and I take pride in my work. I would surely be strapped if the FDA imposed fees on top of what I already pay to insure I have a quality product.

I signed the petition. The rich get richer and the ones that can afford any FDA imposed fees are already rich so they won't care. The FDA will just limit the choices we have as consumers. I know I don't want to use soap, lotion and bath products that have things in them I can't even pronounce. They can put me out of business but I will ALWAYS make my own soap, lotion and bath products for me and my family.

[Wick'n'Wax]

I'm in the UK, can I just ask, what legislation is in place at the moment in the US?

Can anyone make soap and b&b and sell it, or do you have to have safety assessments etc?

[cbv1]

I'm in the UK' date=' can I just ask, what legislation is in place at the moment in the US?

Can anyone make soap and b&b and sell it, or do you have to have safety assessments etc?[/quote']

If soap is labeled as having certain qualities, such as curing skin conditions, healing abilities etc, you have to have proof of those. If it is just 'Soap' you aren't required to do anything but label it that way. For bath and body products you have to list the ingredients properly, and have FDA approved language for useage and cautions when using the product. So, you could say we aren't restricted in a way that would prevent anyone from selling soap and B&B, and that is why people that don't care about a quality product can certainly hurt the reputation of this industry.

[SherriLynn]

We make B & B products and it doesnt' surprise me that somewhere, finally, someone is going to make sure that products are not only made safely,,, but, that they are made in conditions that are regulated.

How many people who make B&B products are making them in conditions such as dirty kitchens and countertops, homes with animals hair etc in the air, and then selling these products on the market.

I do agree that some type of regulations need to be in place, much as 12K is steep, I'm thinking perhaps rates would be determined by the amount of sale generated currently within your companies. And a sliding fee scale materialize from that.

The food industry is very regulated, won't surprise me to see B&B follow suit.

Just my 2 beans.....