Deborah ONeal

A while back, I called the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and spoke with Melissa Durkin (who has since moved to another position).

At the time, she said that, officially, there is nothing in Florida’s cottage-food law specifically prohibiting shipping out of state – only that the current law (contrary to the past) now…[Read more]

Since this is in the Florida forum, rather than California, I’ll throw in my two-cents’ worth.

In Florida, you can register an LLC quickly and easily online at Sunbiz and it only costs $125.00 each year (with a couple of options that could add up to $35.00 more). Far less than the California numbers mentioned in the Forrager FAQ.

One of the…[Read more]

Starting a green garden and selling produce or eggs from your property can be a great initiative, but there are certain regulations and permits you’ll need to adhere to. Since regulations can vary based on your specific location and local ordinances, it’s essential to consult the official government sources for accurate and up-to-date…[Read more]

In general, I think an LLC is overkill for most cottage food businesses. You can read more here: https://forrager.com/faq/#llc

As Keith referenced, Florida updated its cottage food law in 2021, and now localities (like Miami Dade) can’t prohibit cottage food businesses.

For a definitive answer, go to FreshFromFlorida.com, search for “cottage foods” and download the PDF file they have there. In it, you will find a Tallahassee phone number you can call to get an official answer to your question.

Apart from that, if it is a powdered non-dairy creamer, the resulting glaze should probably be okay for cottage food.…[Read more]

It depends on your county/city. If they require business licenses, usually they require them for any type of food business. The only way to know for sure is to contact the dept that administers business licenses.