Beverage producers would be able to make their products in basements under a bill approved Feb. 22 by the House Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs Committee.
Sponsored by Rep. Mindy Greiling (DFL-Roseville),
HF2918 would allow the Department of Agriculture to issue permits to businesses producing certain types of beverages in basements or other subgrade areas.
Greiling said basements are currently automatically ruled out due to the “olden days” when basements were wet and had mildew problems. The department would like to look at basements on a case-by-case basis now, she said.
Seth Couenhoven, director of operations for Thuro Bread, wants to rent the basement of a building he owns to a company to make fermented tea, but is unable to do so under current law. The basement is updated and approved for commercial packaging, but also needs to be approved for the bottling process, he said.
The bill now goes to the House floor. A companion,
SF2632, sponsored by Sen. John Marty (DFL-Roseville), was scheduled to be heard Feb. 25 by the Senate Agriculture and Veterans Budget and Policy Division.