I was very interested in the March 25 cover story, “The Bleach and the Bees” [City Weekly]. At Drake Family Farms Goat Dairy, we sell goat milk, cheese and yogurt made solely from milk produced on our farm. Our sister business is Willow Lane Soap Cottage, which makes and sells goat milk soap and lotion. So we know something about the many challenges facing small family farms and artisan cosmetic businesses.

I could not begin to enumerate all these challenges in one letter, but I would like to make City Weekly readers aware of some serious challenges that we are facing in the form of food safety legislation and FDA regulations. I do not know as much as should about the FDA Globalization Act of 2008 or pending legislation House Bills 875 and 759, but I am fearful that their passage will mean the end of many small farms and artisan businesses because of heavy registration fees and expensive equipment and testing being required.

Unfortunately, there are often unintended consequences to well-meaning pieces of legislation.

Jeanette Drake
West Jordan