Backyard Barter's Rules of Bartering

1. Please no cash exchange for items. This site is intended to help build community and facilitate the bartering of goods and services.

Food Bartering Regulations

Thank you for your interest in bartering homegrown and homemade food! We believe in supporting the growth of the local-food movement, and want to provide information to encourage our neighbors to grow and process their own food.  Below is some information to help guide you down the road of bartering.

We believe that people will expand their growing and processing if they know that there is a market for the bartering of their products (and they won’t be stuck eating all that apricot jam by themselves!)  That is why we are bringing people together on BackyardBarter.org and at in-person barter fairs. 

People will expand their participation in bartering if they know the market is supportive and encouraging of their actions.  We encourage barters to learn about the applicable state regulations, and to obtain the necessary licenses and permits so they can advertise their goods without being worried about enforcements from agencies like the Public Health Department and the Department of Agriculture.

Together we can expand the local-food movement!

The Washington State Department of Agriculture and the Public Health Department regulate food in Washington State. The same rules and regulations apply to bartering food as do direct marketing/selling of food. It is not Backyard Barter’s role to enforce State regulations on food bartering, but we would like help point you in the right direction to do your own research into these regulations. The guidance we are providing is not meant to be absolutely inclusive.   

 A great place to start is the, "Small Farm and Direct Marketing Handbook: Regulations and Strategies for Farm Businesses in Washington State" commonly known as the “Green Book.”  It is a publication of the Washington State Department of Agriculture's (WSDA) Small Farm and Direct Marketing Program in collaboration with the WSDA Food Safety and Organic Food Programs.  It contains information on licensing, taxes, insurance, benefits and challenges for each specific product regulations.

You might be interested in the sections about:

1. Fresh fruits and vegetables
2. Honey 
3. Eggs
4. Mushrooms
5. Fish and Shellfish
6. Beef, Pork, Goat and other Meat
7. Poultry
8. Dairy Products
9. Wine, beer, hard cider and distilled spirits 
10. Prepared food “Such items include salads, soups, pies, hamburgers, fruit smoothies, fresh pressed cider, and more.” (Small Farm and Direct Marketing Handbook, 2010) 
11. Processed food “Processed foods include dried fruits, jams, salsa, sauces, cheese, dried herbs, teas, breads, cookies, cider, blended salad greens, and other examples “ (Small Farm and Direct Marketing Handbook, 2010) 
12. Personal care

Download these chapters here: Food Regulations

Find the full handbook here: http://agr.wa.gov/Marketing/SmallFarm/directmarketinghandbook.aspx

Cottage Food Operation

The Cottage Food Operations Law became effective July 22, 2011. This law allows people to make low-risk food products in their own home kitchens and sell them directly to consumers. Until this change, no food processing has been allowed to take place in home kitchens.

WSDA has initiated the rulemaking process to determine the administrative details of the new law. The rules will identify low-risk food products that can be produced, as well as sanitation, production and inspection requirements.

A Stakeholder Advisory Group has also been formed to help WSDA with the rulemaking process. Individuals interested in the rulemaking process may sign up for notification of hearings and other events by emailing foodsafety@agr.wa.gov.  Please type “Interested Stakeholder CFB” in the subject line. 

Cottage food products specified in the law include:

Baked goods, jams, jellies, preserves, and fruit butters.

Other foods may be identified by WSDA to be low risk /non-potentially hazardous food products through the rule making process.

Download more information here: Cottage Food Operations.

We will strive to provide updated information here when it is available (they are estimating in early 2012.)