Posted November 25, 2013
A Minnesota business owner recently filed a lawsuit
challenging the state’s “cottage foods” law, according to a KSTP News article
available here. KAAL TV also reported on the story here.
Under the law, Minn. Stat. § 28.A.15 (2013), Jane Astramecki may sell
her baked goods at a farmers market or a community event with gross receipts of
$5,000 or less per year without a license.
A “Cottage Food Production Operation” typically means
that a person “uses his or her own kitchen facility to produce food items that
are not potentially hazardous, including bakery products, jams, jellies, candy,
dry mixes, spices and some sauces.”
The laws regulating “cottage foods” vary from state to
state. An interactive map of state
“cottage foods” laws is available here. A regulatory guidance for Best Practices for
Cottage Foods is available here.
For more information on local food systems, please
visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
