Hello-
I'm making arrangements to have a home inspection through the Ohio Department of Agriculture. THANK YOU to those who posted on that subject -- makes me feel good about the shape my kitchen is in (and I'll go look for that small thermometer for the fridge.)
I have a question about food labels -- do I need to have them handy for the inspection? Or do I just get a speech about it from the inspector??
Anyone gone through it that can provide insight or -- even better - sample food labels you're using??
Thank you!
JodiB
I had my inspection yesterday and I didn not have to have my label. I am in the Dayton area so it could be different in another region with a different inspector. My inspection was super easy, the guy spent more time talking about his time in the military (we are a military family) than we spent talking about the inspection 
.
Good luck and congrats on taking this next step.
Hi Andrea....it's Cammie from the CakeCraft decorating class! So cool to read a post from someone I've met!
jodib - I'm aso in Ohio and we're not required to have labels on our products unless you're selling them third party (i.e. a coffee shop is selling them for you like wholesale, etc.) or if you're going to be selling them out of another establishment....hope that makes sense! If you're going to be selling them out of your home, under the Cottage Law you're not required to label anything, unless it's like I said above! I was spending a fortune on my labels and put them on everything, until a recent class I took stated they weren't required! I think we came to the conclusion that it depends on who you ask at the Dept. of Agriculture! hee hee!
Cammie,
Hey there! You are right, it is fun to write to someone I have met!
The guy that did my inspection yesterday told me the same thing about labeling. As long as you are handing the product off then no label needed but if not it needs to have one.
Cammie, I am interested in having labels printed for the cookies I ship out. Did you find a good place to order from? I was thinking of just printing it out on the computer and putting in the bottom of the box but the label would be more professional I suppose.
Hey there! I've always printed them my self and self-stick labels (Avery-type). I'm sure there's a more cost-effective place to order them from, but sometimes my recipes change and it's easier for me to "tweak" them myself! I know Office Depot has a printing service in the back of their store and will order custom labels, but I've never priced them there.
What can you tell me about your inspection?
Andrea! It's Jen...I was at the class too! Sat across from you! Glad to "see" you again! The three of us should get together for lunch or something and talk shop!
What did they do for you inspection? I'm contemplating being inspected or not...can't decide.
Thanks for the insight. Instead of going the Cottage route, I think I'm heading in the Home Bakery direction (I'm told my cheesecakes would sell well - we'll see.)
Anyway, do you need labels for that?? I downloaded a bunch of stuff from the OH Ag Dept. website about trans fat label and nut allergy labels. Makes for good reading when I'm having a hard time going to sleep! Not so easy to comprehend.
JodiB
Jodie, I've been told that you only have to label if you aren't handing it to the person who ordered it, or you are selling to a restaurant, craft show, or flea market type place. If someone order a birthday cake from you, and they pick it up, it doesn't need labelled. That's what I've been told anyway.
cammie,
thanks for the info on the labels. I think that is a good idea to do them yourself. I too tweak my recipes often so ordering a ton may not be the way to go.
jenn1977,
Hello! I think it would be so much fun to get together sometime!! I would love that.
As far as the inspection I would do it in a heartbeat. I called about the inspection and the lady there took my name and number then told me she would pass it on to the man who does the inspection. She told me it could take up to 2 weeks just to hear from him. Well, the next morning at 7AM!!! the guy calls me and says he is going to be in the area doing another inspection and could he come by around 10-11! I said sure since I just wanted it done. I just started cleaning up everything and when he got there he didnt even look at it all. He didnt open one cabinet, my fridge, nothin! I was a bit disappointed. I did have a thermometer in the fridge and he did tell me I would need one so it was good to already have that taken care of.
I think the inspectors are a bit annoyed that these home inspections are falling on their shoulders since they are trained to do the huge factory inspections. I could tell my inspector felt like it was kinda a waste of his time. He was more interested in talking about his time in the military than anything else. It was only $10 so why not go for it was my thought. I don't plan on selling many cakes or cheesecakes because I really want to just do custom cookies but I wanted to cover all the bases. This way if I ever donate a cake for a military function or fundraiser I am totally legal and can have all options open for me in what I choose to make.
I am not going to do all the business liscensing since we will only live here for 2yrs. I really dont want to be super busy, just busy enough to get my decroating fix and try more things.
Again, I would be interested in a get together so just let me know!
And JodiB, the inspector told me the same thing that Jenn1977 said, if you are handing it over to the person purchasing you dont need a label but if not you have to have the label.
I can't help you at all, but good luck with your inspection and have fun with your business!!
I think we figured out that if you are inspected, then you don't need labels, but if you are just following the cottage bakery laws, then you do need labels. One less thing for you to worry about it seems.
Wish I lived near you guys, sounds like you have a good place for classes.
I think we figured out that if you are inspected, then you don't need labels, but if you are just following the cottage bakery laws, then you do need labels. One less thing for you to worry about it seems.
Actually....you don't need labels at all unless you're selling third party (such as Jen1977 mentioned)....whether you're licensed or not! Good thing for us who aren't inspected!
Thanks for the info Andrea! I'll PM you and maybe we can hookup with Jen for lunch!
I'm covering my butt and making labels. It's on the Ohio Department of Agriculture website that I am rerquired to make labels( http://www.ohioagriculture.gov/pubs/divs/food/curr/cottage/food-cottageindex.stm#tag3 ) and I got an email confirming that from an inspector. I'd rather be safe than sorry.
I know what you mean about "safe than sorry"....which is why I made them for my cakes for so long.....but I also got an email confirming just the opposite when I was originally told by someone at the Dept. of Ag. else that I did need them! UGH! After attending a class, they confirmed that labels aren't necessary for the home baker handing cakes or delivering them directly to the customer. Buying and making those labels was quite expensive!
Does anyone know of a way of getting around the "no pets in the home" rule for home bakeries? We're buying a house and I want to make a cake shop/kitchen in a separate room in the basement, but my SO really wants to get a dog when we buy a house. If I have the kitchen in the basement separate from our living space, would that be acceptable? I'm thinking probably not, but just thought I'd throw it out there for those of you who seem to have more experience. 
DianaMarieMTV....unfortunately, I don't think there's a way around pets in the home in Ohio....even if your baking space is seperate from the living space. I think it would only be acceptable if you kitchen was COMPLETELY seperate, under another roof. We used to have a cat that I adored, but my daughter developed an allergy to him so we had to find another home for him....and if I'd had him when I was baking I probably would have done the same....that hair gets EVERYWHERE!
Here in Iowa, I'm renting a kitchen from a local BBQ caterer. They have a commercial kitchen in their basement, and have a dog. They put a door separating the kitchen area from the rest of the basement. Their dog doesn't go in there even when the door is open, and they pass inspection. I'm sure rules are different from state to state! Good luck!
Woo-hoo! Passed the inspection. Thanks for all the advice and help!! Having the thermometer in the fridge was VERY helpful.
Inspection was as easy as you advised and the inspector was really nice. Even shared a pie recipe with me on his way out.
He said food labels weren't necessary if I was selling to individuals who were going to consume the food themselves. But if I sold to restaurants or someone else who might re-sell (or sell by the piece), then food labels were necessary. Told me the labels had to list ALL ingredients. Example: if I used flour, I had to not only list flour but what was in the flour.
He told me I didn't have to be a stick on label, but could use a piece of paper to give to the customer so it was available. He suggested doing an annual "recipe update" to make sure everything I was making was the same and that the various ingredients I used hadn't changed. Back to the flour example: Gold Medal might not have the same ingredients as Pillsbury, so I should use one and stick with it.
So hope that helps someone. Thanks again for all the help that I got!
I have a question for all you in Ohio you are licensed. I called and was going to have the inspector come to my house but the lady also told me that I needed to check within my city as well to see if I could bake from my house. Well I called Cincinnati's health department and they told me that within the city I was not able to have a home bakery it needed to be a sep. building. Has anyone else ran into this issue? Any help would be great, Thanks!
Can't speak for Cincinnati, only Columbus. But when I started the process I called the Health Department first, and they told me to call the Agriculture Department, no need to go through them.
An idea: Check out your local farmer's market and see who may be selling baked goods or treats and uses "real" labels, etc. I'll bet they've been through the inspection process and could tell you the scoop.
A call to your attorney might help, also. Can't believe Cincinnati doesn't license in-home bakeries. Seems silly.
I have a question for all you in Ohio you are licensed. I called and was going to have the inspector come to my house but the lady also told me that I needed to check within my city as well to see if I could bake from my house. Well I called Cincinnati's health department and they told me that within the city I was not able to have a home bakery it needed to be a sep. building. Has anyone else ran into this issue? Any help would be great, Thanks!
That will really suck for you if Cinci won't license within city limits! Pooh! You could also PM grammasue....she's in Cinci and does cakes from her home I believe. I'm in Dayton, so when I first started baking out of my home, I did have to go through my local city (small town) to gain permission from them as I'm zoned residential, of course. They said it was fine, just wanted to be sure I wasn't posting a sign stating a business was in my home and there wouldn't be a parking problem (yeah, I wish)!
i heard that about cincinnati too, so when i move in 4 weeks im specifically looking for an apartment outside the city limits. i want to be able to legally bake in my home, its really goofy that the city won't allow it when the state does!
I just found this thread! I have been interested in this too! I am just a beginner so no need to worry about selling anything yet but would like to move to that someday.
So am I correct in the understanding that under the cottage law I don't have to do anything government wise to sell cakes???
Cammie,
I saw you talked to your city first is this something that would be advised?? What process did you have to go through?
I am so happy I found this thread, hopefully you are all still reading it!
Amanda
i am in the process of starting my business up right now. i live in the sycamore township, just outside of cincinnati. i called my county and my township and they gave me all the specifics. i need to follow their rules, such as no noisy machinery and no heavy traffic at my residence, no employees, etc. but i don't need an inspection. the cottage laws for ohio state say you can't sell anything "hazardous" aka needs to be refrigerated, like cheesecake. but you still need a tax id, to set up your business. definitely call your city, cause the actual city of cincy won't allow a home bakery, regardless of what the state says.
i am in the process of starting my business up right now. i live in the sycamore township, just outside of cincinnati. i called my county and my township and they gave me all the specifics. i need to follow their rules, such as no noisy machinery and no heavy traffic at my residence, no employees, etc. but i don't need an inspection. the cottage laws for ohio state say you can't sell anything "hazardous" aka needs to be refrigerated, like cheesecake. but you still need a tax id, to set up your business. definitely call your city, cause the actual city of cincy won't allow a home bakery, regardless of what the state says.
You dont' necessarily need a tax ID to run your business under The Ohio Cottage Law. It depends on how your business is set up. I run mine as a sole proprietorship and recently registered my business name with the State of Ohio (www.ohio.gov), however, I can use my SS# (some don't prefer this, I don't mind) for tax purposes.
My city told me exactly what they told you....no noise, machinery, employees....yada yada yada.
LearningCurve.....you definitely need to check w/ your city office to make sure they allow home bakery businesses in Vandalia. Better safe than sorry!
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