FDA possibly stopping small cosmetic/soap business

[MissMary]

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!!

Thanks!

I agree though with the insurance stipulation. Alot of the problem people, the horrible ones I'm saying, not us, but they invest in the cheapest, crappiest stuff that *resembles* something of soap/cosmetics. If putting down anywhere from 400-1000 in insurance up front was required to sell, that cuts out the *fat* so to speak.

[Tall Blonde]

Well, I already owe way more than I make. In order for me to see any profit, I'd have to really work at selling and I hate selling. So, if this goes into effect, I'll simply stop selling, but I also will still make for family and friends.

[MissMary]

Do you mean in taxes or expenses?

[soycrazy]

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

It doesn't seem like there's any regulations for food these days. Just look in the news. If they plan on regulating B & B makers like they regulate food we are in big trouble :undecided

[SherriLynn]

We started our B&B line when we found hair in a lotion we had purchased at a crafters mart. Ewwwww yuck,,,, I still wonder who's hair,,,, hers?? or a pet or pets that were running around the house that day our lotion was made.. (shivers to think)

Just my humble opinion, but somewhere these products need to be regulated. I ask myself,, how many people who make B&B wash their hands before starting the process or as we do, glove their hands????? Is the bases being put into bottles or lip balm tubes actually touching someone hands from time to time?? Ewww, yuck.....Hmmmm....

The reason we're seeing problems with foods as indicted in the news, is because someone is NOT following the guidelines that were set by Federal and State. There are guildlines in place all across the country by FDA. Each state in the US has a website that shows safe handling of foods, home canning, and the laws set forth both by state and federal for foods, starting a foods business, how to sell at farmers markets, etc. with tons of links. There are very stingent rules for foods, but if growers and stores, aren't going to follow them ;these outbreaks of bad foods, will continue to happen. I hope wherever these nasty tomatoes are coming from, they get heavily fined, need to pay medical costs for all those involved and get their license yanked for selling foods.

We are in the food business as well as B&B, candles, incense, etc. I have a food managers license, I'm required by law to take refresher classes every 3 years to maintain this license. I rent a kitchen to produce my foods, (no home kitchens are allowed to produce any food that you sell to the public). It's costly for licensing, classes, refresher classes etc. But, we truely believe and we take the precautions necessary, to sell our customers the finest in products.

Like Miss Mary, I'm not saying I agree with a 12K licensing fee, but I do think there are better ways to regulate this type of product from those fly by nighters, and those who take shortcuts to make a buck, or think they're going to get rich in a day people.

[MissMary]

You hear about the outbreaks in the food industry, but not the fines. I can't remember which producer, but a poultry company went out of business over salmonella, last year I think it was. There are hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines each month with a manufacturer doesn't follow those guidelines.

Aside from that, sometimes, food gets bad. Accidents happen. We (collectively) make safe candles, someone could still burn down their home. We make good soap, someone could still eat it. When you grow food outside with the bugs, you are bound to get a few in your food.

But when it comes to food, more often than not you don't rub them over your entire body, like most B&B products. What can you do when someone decides to mix lye into soap incorrectly. There's no way to tell it sometimes if a formula is bad until you have used it. If you see a rotten tomato, you don't eat it.

[Wick'n'Wax]

maybe something like we have in the UK would be more cost effective.

You have to set out your manufacturing process, have your recipes safety assessed, all labels have to be as per regulations etc, you have to keep Product Information Files that can be inspected should authorities wish too. Theres still no pre-requisite for insurance, although anyone with half a brain has it.

We don't however have to pay for a licence to sell.

My soap Safety Assessment costs in rough equation $300, then there are seperate ones for other b&b, bath bombs, salts, melts etc.

Do you think that would be a better way to go rather than having to regulate sellers?

I do feel for you. Theres talk of regulating candle making over here, which as you, seems its going to cost the earth

[usairforce]

Debbie May of whole sale supplie plus is going to Washington, D.C. to discuss this bill. She also has a questionaire you can fill out and she is taking all of them in a binded folder to show to the senate. You can find this info here: www.wholesalesuppliesplus.blogspot.com .

Please take the time to fill out this and help keep us from getting scr%wed even more.

Hugs, Branda

[8-GRAN-ONES]

What each person here should do, is write their congressman, state represenitive..and whom ever in their state is a leader. And state...that they would like to know that they ( their )represenitive would fight against any law that would cause this to happen..If we speak loud enough..hopefully our voice would be heard.. If we don't say anything we will not be heard..

[MissMary]

I think it'd be a better idea to write in what we don't like about the bill. Again, there are some VERY good ideas and points inside of it. For the most part, it won't even affect us - it goes after the idiots, who don't follow proper procedures in making, selling, marketing, etc.

I still strongly disagree with the taxes, and think a sliding scale is a better idea.