For many years, Oklahoma had one of the most restrictive cottage food laws in the United States. However, in 2021, Oklahoma replaced their cottage food law with the Homemade Food Freedom Act (HB 1032), and it is now one of the best laws in the country! Under the food freedom law, producers can sell their… [read more]
Arizona’s has one of the best cottage food laws of any state. Producers can sell almost any type of food, including products containing meat. Most types of food products can be sold anywhere, including from home, at events, in stores, and online. However, dairy products and items containing meat can only be sold directly (in-person)… [read more]
Nebraska has a very good cottage food law. Unlike most states, producers can sell most types of homemade foods, including many types of perishable foods. Producers can sell directly to consumers at farmers markets, events, from home, and online. Non-perishable products can also be shipped. Indirect sales (wholesale, retail stores, etc) are not allowed, but… [read more]
In 2024, Alaska replaced their old cottage food law with a food freedom law (HB 251), and is now one of the best states for selling homemade food. Producers can sell almost any type of homemade food, including perishable foods and certain items with meat. Producers can sell almost anywhere within the state, including in-person,… [read more]
New Hampshire has a two-tier system for “homestead food operations”: unlicensed and licensed. Unlicensed operators can sell homemade food at farmers markets, from home, or at their own farm stand. Operators who get a Homestead License can sell at almost any sales venue, including wholesale, selling online, and shipping products. The other requirements are the… [read more]
Virginia allows producers to start a food business from home without getting licensed or inspected, but it comes with some restrictions. If you want to have fewer restrictions (make more types of food, sell at more locations, etc), you can apply to be a home food processing operation, which requires a home kitchen inspection and… [read more]
Minnesota used to have one of the most restrictive cottage food laws in the nation. In 2015, they passed a new law (SF 5) which greatly improved their law, and then they further improved it in 2021 by passing an amendment (SF 958). Cottage food producers can sell almost any type of nonperishable food, but they… [read more]
In 2015, Nevada passed the “pickle bill” (SB 441), allowing homemade acidified foods to be sold. This law permits individuals to prepare and sell these foods from their homes, or from approved locations like social clubs, schools, or nonprofits. Sales are capped at $35,000 per year.
Pennsylvania is a bit different than other states in that it doesn’t have laws specific to cottage food operations, but the Department of Agriculture simply allows “limited food establishments” that meet specific guidelines. The application process is lengthy, but limited food establishments have a lot of flexibility once they’re setup. Unlike other states, in Pennsylvania, there are many similarities between the… [read more]
North Carolina is unlike any other state, in that it has a food program for home processors, yet it does not have laws in place to allow them. Other states have specific laws in place that override the federal laws that prohibit home-based food sales, but since North Carolina has no such laws, technically their… [read more]
Robert & Paula Grosz of Murray, KY share how they built a thriving jam & jelly business that allowed them to quit their jobs by focusing on quality, listening to customers, and scaling their business
Lora Friemel of Scranton, AR shares how she sells homemade jams, jellies, and other canned goods as a way to support her lifelong dream of running a sustainable homestead for her family
Lisa Kivirist of Browntown, WI shares an update on the past, present, and future of the cottage food and food freedom movements, and how she’s helping support them with many different resources
Iowa has two different laws for home cooks, which combine to form possibly the best cottage food laws in the nation. Iowa has been allowing sales of homemade food for longer than any other state (since at least the 1980s). The cottage food law (described on this page) allows producers to sell almost all types… [read more]
South Dakota first passed a cottage food law in 2010, and amended it in 2011, 2020, & 2022. Producers can sell all types of nonperishable foods, plus some types of foods that most states don’t allow: perishable baked goods, home canned goods, pesto, frozen fruit, etc. However, those selling the latter must follow certain requirements…. [read more]
South Carolina first created a cottage food law in 2012, which was amended in 2018 and 2022. Producers can sell both directly to consumers, and indirectly to retail stores. Producers can sell their products online, and can ship them as well. There is no sales limit, and the producer doesn’t need to take a food… [read more]
For many years, Illinois had one of the most restrictive cottage food laws in the nation. Their first cottage food law in 2012 (SB 0840) only allowed cottage food operations to sell certain items at farmers markets. Even though an amendment in 2018 (HB 3063) removed the sales limit and greatly expanded the list of… [read more]
Allows all nonperishable foods. Allows home canned goods, fermented foods, and some perishable foods (baked goods, sauces, frozen fruit), if certain requirements are met.
Would have codified (put into law) Hawaii’s existing cottage food rules. Would have allowed direct, online, and indirect sales of all nonperishable foods. Would have allowed direct sales of perishable foods. Would have implemented a permit process with a fee.
Kentucky’s law for home-based microprocessors is only for those who want to sell acidified foods, low-acid canned goods, or low-sugar jams & jellies. To sell other types of homemade foods, Kentucky has a law for home-based processors, which is much less restrictive than this one. In order to use this law for home-based microprocessors, the producer… [read more]
In 2017, North Dakota passed the country’s second food freedom bill (HB 1433), modeled after Wyoming’s. Unlike most cottage food laws, this food freedom law allows producers to sell any type of food, as long as it doesn’t contain meat. There is one exception: those who raise a small amount of poultry can sell their… [read more]
Montana first created a cottage food law in 2015, but it was almost entirely replaced in 2021 with the passage of the Montana Local Food Choice Act (SB 199). This “food freedom” law removed almost all restrictions from selling homemade food, and it prevents government agencies from regulating a producer. To sell homemade food, a… [read more]
Alabama created a cottage food law (SB 159) in 2014. Previously, producers could only sell non-perishable homemade food at farmers markets. In 2021, an amendment (SB 160) greatly expanded the list of allowed foods, removed the sales limit, allowed online sales, and allowed in-state shipping. Alabama allows direct sales of almost any type of non-perishable food,… [read more]
Arkansas created a cottage food law in 2011 (Act 72), and it was amended three times (2017 Act 399, 2019 Act 775, & 2021 Act 306). However, in 2021, Arkansas replaced their cottage food law with the Food Freedom Act (SB 248), and it is now one of the best laws in the country! Under… [read more]
For many years, Wisconsin allowed canned goods without allowing baked goods, unlike every other state. As of 2017, Wisconsin now has a ruling that allows homemade baked goods. This older law, also known as the “Pickle Bill”, is still in place for canned good sales. This law is very restrictive. Producers can sell up to… [read more]
LAW UPDATE Since this page was last updated, Wyoming improved their food freedom law with a new bill (HB 118). As of July 1st, 2021, producers can now sell eggs under the law, and clarifies that there should be as few restrictions as possible for businesses using this law. Wyoming has the best cottage food… [read more]
Lisa Kivirist talks about living off the land, moving away from the corporate life-style, creatively packaging products, diversifying income streams, advocating for laws, and everything in between.
NEW LAW As of May 5th, 2021, Utah passed a new bill (HB 94) which allows producers to run mini restaurants from their home. It is similar to California’s MEHKO law. Utah has two laws that allow for the sale of homemade food. This page is for Utah’s food freedom law, also known as the… [read more]
Texas passed an amendment (HB 970) to their cottage food law in September 2013, which greatly loosened the restrictions of their original cottage food law (SB 81). In 2019, they passed another amendment (SB 572) which greatly expanded it again. After many attempts to improve the law, Texas now has a good cottage food law. Producers can sell anywhere… [read more]
West Virginia’s main cottage food law allows many types of homemade food to be sold. Producers can use both laws (that newer one, and the one listed below) if they wish. This older law is still useful for those who want to sell acidified foods (pickled products, sauces, salsas, etc), non-standard jellies (pepper jelly), non-standard… [read more]
Maryland allows farmers to get a special On-Farm Home Processing License to sell certain types of homemade food. However, most people use Maryland’s cottage food law (which does not require a permit or training from the health department) to sell their homemade food. This older law is useful for farmers who: Want to sell food products… [read more]
Setting up a domestic kitchen is a relatively complex and expensive process, but they give producers a lot of freedom once they are setup. Those who want an easier setup and fewer requirements (but more restrictions) can use Oregon’s cottage food law, and those who grow the primary ingredient in their products may be able… [read more]
Unlike almost every other state, Virginia allows people to operate very unrestricted food businesses out of their homes. Their food laws are very different than most states, written in such a way that there is not any distinction between a food business that uses a commercial kitchen versus a home kitchen. Instead, the distinction is provided by… [read more]