Things aren't always as they seem. The truth behind the FDA and Handcrafted soaps...

Hey everyone. I know it's been a long time since my last blog, but my news feed has been flooded this week with "FDA wants to RUIN the homemade soap makers!" Scary right?? So of course I started reading and in everything I read there wasn't anything screaming out "No Way! They can't do that!" Yet people were getting all up in arms about the FDA being driven by big money. After a few days of digging I have decided the people opposing this bill are being pretty shady... Let me lay out the facts for you all.

• The bill being proposed is ‘‘Personal Care Products Safety Act’’ introduced by Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and co-sponsored by Senator Susan Collins (R-ME). Click HERE to read the bill yourself
• Supported by Johnson & Johnson, Unilever, Proctor & Gambler to name a few
• Bill only applies to MANUFACTURES grossing more than $100,000 annually in FDA defined Cosmetics
• Resale of cosmetics are not included in this bill
• Companies making under $500,000 every 3 years are allowed submit simplified listings of ingredients
• FEES
• The lowest tier ( $500,000 - $2.5 million annual sales) 2.4% fee but no more than $250 annually
• The highest tier ($5 billion or more annually) $1.1 million annually
• Companies grossing less than $500,000 every 3 years are exempt from the fees

• The bill is opposed by Handmade Cosmetic Alliance and Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild
• Debbie May is President & CEO of Wholesale Supplies Plus and a director for HCA
• WSP has a very, VERY poor track record HERE 
• Some comments include questionable quality "I bought cocoa butter 6/2010. Expiration on it says 6/2011. It actually went rancid by 4/2011. Cocoa butters is very stable and will keep for about five years and resist going rancid. They were probably selling old butters for super high prices."
• In 2012 Debbie May claimed WSP was on track for $10 million in sales HERE 
• “The HCA along with other handmade cosmetic organizations support efforts to make meaningful policy changes to enhance cosmetic safety. However, subjecting small handmade cosmetic companies which operate with less than a handful of employees to onerous regulation is not only unfair and unprecedented, but creates regulatory requirements that will force businesses to close their doors, “ said Debbie May, Executive Director of the HCA.
• The Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild is requesting the bill only apply to companies grossing over $2 million and registration be voluntary for companies grossing less than that. 

I have reached out to Handmade Cosmetic Alliance asking for information on who their 300,000 supporters are, but have yet to hear anything back. 

Now, I'm not an expert in anything and I support local businesses, products made in the USA, small farms, and pretty much anyone trying to make a living doing honest work. However, this bill really doesn't seem geared towards taking away from the little guy and to be completely honest I want to know what's in my products and where they come from regardless of how small a company is. The unfortunate reality is because of shady business practices, particular people flat out lying about a products ingredients or abilities, the FDA has had to step in and watch over people to protect those that just assume no one would ever lie about a product.

I personally support this bill and think everyone reading this should take a good long look at the facts before jumping on the propaganda wagon and if there is a bigger piece that I am missing from all this, please let me know.