Maryland On-Farm Home Processing

Cottage Food Law

This state's cottage food law is restricted, so it is not available to everyone!

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 that the cottage food law does not allow (pickles, dried fruit, flavored honey, etc)
Want to sell indirectly to restaurants or retail stores
Want to sell their products in other states
Have reached the cottage food law’s $25,000 sales limit

If none of the above applies to you, then it should be easier to start your business with the cottage food law.

With an On-Farm Home Processing License, farmers can sell certain types of non-perishable foods (including acidified foods) through any venue, but they are limited to $40,000 of sales. Farmers who sell acidified foods must take a training course from a Better Process School.

Selling

Allowed Venues

Events Farmers markets Home Online Restaurants Retail stores Roadside stands

Allowed Services

Delivery Mail order Pickup Wholesale

See a directory of farmers markets on this interactive map.

Allowed Foods

Prohibited Foods

Perishable baked goods Candy Chocolate-covered fruit Chocolate-covered items Marshmallows Popcorn Low-acid canned foods Fermented foods Juices Meat jerkies

There are probably more prohibited foods, but the ones above have been confirmed

You can use this law to sell herb-infused honey and vinegars.

Only "non-potentially hazardous" foods are allowed, but certain non-PHFs may not be allowed. Most foods that don't need to be refrigerated (foods without meat, cheese, etc.) are considered non-potentially hazardous. Learn more

Limitations

Commercial kitchen prohibited Farmers only No domestic activity Pets restricted Sales limit

There may be more limitations, but the ones above have been confirmed

Sales are limited to $40,000 per year

Business

On-Farm Home Processing License

An On-Farm Home Processing License costs $30. To apply for a license, contact the health department.

If you are only selling baked goods, naturally acid canned foods (jams, jellies, fruit butters, some canned fruits, etc), and unflavored honey from your farm or at a farmers market, you do not need to get this license. However, if you are selling acid foods, you may need to get an evaluation from the health department. All indirect sales (to restaurants and retail stores) require this license.

Better Process School Training Course

If you make canned acidified foods (e.g. pickles, green beans, etc), you must take a training course from a Better Process School. To find an approved course, contact the health department.