@CreBobble

Perfect! I’m glad you got it to work. I haven’t heard of that error before so it will be interesting to see if someone else has the problem.

Hmm…. I just tested this and it worked. Can you give me some more information? First of all, are you using this page to add your CFO: http://forrager.com/add-cfo/

If so, I assume you are adding something to all of the required fields? And if yes, then can you tell me what you’re putting in each field? (except your email address — you don’t…[Read more]

Angela, I haven’t heard of an update. My response to Aimee above is still as much as I know. If you talk to the ag dept and can post an update, that would be much appreciated!

It should be fairly simple to sell unopened and commercially-prepackaged items, as long as they do not need to be refrigerated, but you may need some sort of permit from the ag dept to do so. You should not need to use a commercial kitchen to do this.

Maple syrup isn’t specifically mentioned in VA’s cottage food law, so I’m not sure if you’re exempt from inspection, though you may be. You can sell your maple syrup as a home food processing operation, but that requires an inspection. You should contact the ag dept about this.

Lisa, the law says that you can sell at “a municipal, county, or nonprofit fair, festival, or event”. You can also sell at farmers markets. All other types of events are not allowed. So if it is not run by the local govt, or if it is not run by a non-profit, or if it is not a farmers market, then you can’t sell at it.

You can usually sell fresh, uncut produce without needing a permit. I believe that businesses can use your produce, but some counties have restrictions on accepted sources of produce. You can check with the health dept to see if that’s the case in your county.

Kelly, you can do everything you asked about. Just make sure that you collect payment from a customer in-person.

Although you don’t need anything from the health dept, you might need to adhere to licenses or requirements for starting a home business. Also, you will need whatever the farmers market or event requires. Here’s some more info: http://forrager.com/faq/#starting

I think you’re exempt from the state tax, but you might have county or city sales taxes that you need to collect. Here’s some more info: http://forrager.com/faq/#sales-tax

Yes, if you’re using a licensed commercial kitchen and have the proper license from the ag dept, you can sell online. http://forrager.com/faq/#commercial

Courtney, most states use CFR 21 as a standard for jams and jellies, but unlike most states, CA has it written into their law. Regardless of the laws, following CFR 21 is recommended to ensure the safety of your product. Low sugar jams and jellies are possible, but they may need to be refrigerated. You should contact the health dept to learn about…[Read more]

Eli, jams and jellies sold under the cottage food law need to adhere to CFR 21 — this requirement is listed in the law itself and cannot be overridden by a health dept. So the short answer is no, what you are doing is not legal. You need to use a commercial kitchen to produce low-sugar jams. http://forrager.com/faq/#commercial

Paul, I know that some people roast coffee beans in their oven, but I don’t know how most people do it. It is possible to have your kitchen extend to other parts of the home (that aren’t sleeping areas), but I don’t know if a garage would be allowed. Assuming you’re in CA, you should talk with your environmental health dept about what they will allow.