Emily Richardson

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.

It depends on what state you live in, but in almost all states, cheese cannot be an ingredient in any cottage food item. Baking dried tomatoes into bread will probably be allowed. Jalapenos are less likely, but possible if they’re baked in the bread.

Yes, you need to use a commercial kitchen, and you need to get the proper licensing and training from the health dept. http://forrager.com/faq/#commercial

Usually they’re not allowed. http://forrager.com/faq/#pet-food

No, cooked potatoes and cheese would not be allowed in cottage food items. You’ll need to use a commercial kitchen. http://forrager.com/faq/#commercial

Certain cottage foods cannot be sampled in their prepared state, such as dip mixes. The ability to sell roasted coffee does not include prepared coffee, but some states do allow the sale of coffee and tea because those are low-risk items. You should contact the ag dept to learn about the rules for selling prepared coffee.