Oregon bill to shut down unlicensed food operators headed to governor

Tracy Loew
Statesman Journal

Legislation that would allow Oregon to shut down unlicensed food operators is headed to Gov. Kate Brown for approval.

More than 600 food-related establishments in Oregon are operating without permits. The state has previously had no enforcement authority over them.

State officials estimate they’re losing about $130,000 per year in unpaid license fees.

And unlicensed establishments miss the regular inspections that ensure they comply with food-safety rules, such as storing food at proper temperatures, making sure employees wash their hands, and properly cleaning equipment.

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Oregon Department of Agriculture food safety specialist Maryam Shabdeh-Evans checks temperatures of packaged meat in a refrigerated case at a New Seasons store.

House Bill 2060 would allow the Oregon Department of Agriculture, which licenses and inspects non-restaurant food establishments, to close firms that refuse to get food-safety permits or let them expire.

Owners would get 30 days’ notice before getting a closure order. They could be fined up to $10,000 for not complying with the order.

ODA’s Food Safety Program licenses and inspects about 12,000 food-related establishments, including grocery stores, egg handlers, dairies, bakeries, shellfish and seafood handlers, food storage warehouses, locker plants, meat, dairy and beverage processors, and licensed domestic kitchens.

The program doesn’t inspect restaurants or school cafeterias. Those are overseen by the Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Department of Education, which delegate the job to county health departments.

The bill passed the Senate Thursday on a 23-5 vote with no discussion.

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Contact the reporter at tloew@statesmanjournal.com, 503-399-6779 or follow at Twitter.com/Tracy_Loew