If you always wanted to sell your famous chocolate chip cookies or your grand mother’s toffee and you weren’t sure if you could prepare the product from your home kitchen, here’s the inside scoop. First of all it’s a bit complicated depending on where you live and what regulatory agency oversees the home food production process in your state, city, town or county.
The most effective way to get the information you want is to ask the right questions to the right people in the right department. But what are the right questions, who are the right people and what is the right department?
You’re first step should be our Cottage Food Law page. This page provides information for each of the 50 states and should be able to get you in the right direction. However, we’ve seen over the past several years that information and contacts change often, so below are some additional suggestions, if you find the information on the Cottage Food Law page doesn’t get you everything you need.
Depending on where you live, try contacting:
- Your local health department or;
- Your local Food and Safety department or;
- Your state Department of Agriculture or;
- The farmers market where you want to sell your products
Often one of these entities will be able to provide the rules and regulations surrounding the sale of homemade food products. There may be limitations and you may only be able to sell your products at a state sponsored farmers market, flea market or food cooperative.
Always ask what limitations exist and ask for a copy of the actual law that allows you to sell from your home kitchen. If they cannot provide the document ask to speak to someone else. Many states are slow about placing that information on their website, but some are on board with it. You want to be able to read the law for yourself.
