Arkansas just passed the Cottage food law, allowing you to seel baked goods prepared in your home kitchen.

What??? Arkansas passed a Cottage Food law? I need to research this. I'm in Arkansas and have been trying to find a kitchen to rent to start my business. This is awesome news!

Atomikjen - The exemption is from the Dept of Agriculture and Markets. NOT your county health department. Call the Albany number at the bottom of the page and ask for Cory Skier.

Does anyone know when they are going to decide for Florida?

I heard late last year that California was considering this. I can't find anything since then, so I think it may be dead or was simply a bad rumor. I know I signed a petition.

Anyone know more about this?

I found the following on Delaware's Heath and Human Services Brochure:
"OPERATIONS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE A FOOD ESTABLISHMENT PERMIT
1. An establishment that offers only pre-packaged foods that are not potentially hazardous;
2. A produce stand that only offers whole, uncut fresh fruits and vegetables;
3. A food processing plant;
4. A kitchen in a private home if only food that is not potentially hazardous is prepared for sale or service at a function such as a religious or charitable organization's bake sale if allowed by law and if the consumer is informed by a clearly visible placard at the sales or service location that the food is prepared in a kitchen that is not subject to regulation and inspection by the Division of Public Health;
5. An area where food that is prepared as specified immediately above is sold or offered for human consumption;
6. A kitchen in a private home such as a small family day-care provider; or a bed-and-breakfast operation that prepares and offers food to guests if the home is owner occupied, the number of available guest bedrooms does not exceed 6, breakfast is the only meal offered, the number of guests served does not exceed 18, and the consumer is informed by statements contained in published advertisements, mailed brochures, and placards posted at the registration area that the food is prepared in a kitchen that is not regulated and inspected by the Division of Public Health; or
7. A private home that receives catered or home-delivered food; or a private home in which an individual is hired to prepare foods for personal consumption."

So that Means Home Kitchens are Allowed, right?

Here we go Colorado! I have started a petition to get the Cottage food law here! I you live in Colorado and would like to see this happen please sign it: http://www.petitiononline.com/cocttglw/petition.html

Also Please follow the forum on it here: http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-715324-.html

One more thing, join the facebook page for this movement to keep updated on the progress : http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Colorado-Cottage-Law-Movement/107542739330187

This is going to be a long road but it is time Colorado gets on board!
I would like to qoute someone from the other forum, Linsram said it perfectly "So excited about this! I just moved here not too long ago and it's crazy you can't bake from home. You can sell tacos from a truck, meat from the back of your car, and even sell marijuana. But I can't bake a cake?"
Let's get this cake party started!

Does Connecticut allow a home kitchen

Arizona passed the Food Cottage bill into law as of April 13, 2011.

http://www.azleg.gov//FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/legtext/50leg/1r/bills/hb2103o.asp&Session_ID=102

So we're legal in 90 days from then, July 13th! Woohoo!!!!

KimAZ

I googled "Cottage Law In Washington State" and this is what I found... "The bill has now passed both houses, nearly unanimously. Senator Phil Rockefeller has asked for feedback on the final bill, with amendments, http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?year=2011&bill=5748" So now just wait for the final signature?

CONGRATULATIONS!!! KimAZ

woot! Go AZ!! I'm so excited! Thanks for sharing KimAz!!

I just got off of the phone with the food safety dept. at Ohio's agriculture Division. In Ohio you do not need any type of licensing at all if your considered Cottage Food, meaning the end product does not need to be refrigerated. If your selling things such as cream pies or cheese cakes then you will need a license. The only requirements for Cottage foods are for proper labeling. The fact sheet for the proper labels can be found at this website: http://www.agri.ohio.gov/divs/FoodSafety/docs/CottageFoodOperation-factsheet.pdf

In Illinois would it be ok to provide a cake to a non-profit organization at no charge? I'm in Indiana, and the non-profit is in Chicago, Illinois.

In Franklin county in Missouri you may not have a home based business unless you license it through the health dept as a commercial kitchen which must be a separate kitchen with a separate entrance.

It is with my great honor to announce Washington State now has a Cottage Foods Law. The Governor signed the bill this morning. This law will take effect in 90 days.

I will update as I get more info on the inspection process.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documen.....R%2011.pdf

Regarding the Cottage Law--Just BEWARE! I am in Indiana where we have a cottage law. When I talked to my local health dept. I was told that it only applied to roadside stands and the like. I asked,"How am I supposed to sell wedding cakes at a roadside stand?!" So I went higher and talked to the state house...I was told that the local health dept officer was correct. So I said,"You mean to tell me that if I set up a child's lemonade stand in my front yard, I can sell my cakes, but I can't have people pick them up from inside my house?!" He said,"Basically, yes. I know it doesn't make any sense but that's the way the law was written."
I just don't want someone to get their hopes up and be dissapointed the way I was.

Florida Cottage Food Bill CS/HB 5007 failed in the Senate, HOWEVER, the House included the Cottage Food in another bill CS/HB 7209 which did PASS. Bill CS/HB 7209 is now at the Governor waiting for his signature to sign into law. Florida Cottae Food Act will be effective July 1, 2010

Barbara

Anyone know the legalities of selling from home in the state of PA...? I had trouble finding the information...

The thing is, how do you advertise something like that? "Please order from Billie's Roadside Stand." That doesn't sound very good.
The guy at the statehouse told me that the law was enacted for farmers selling their goods at a farmer's market. But that if I sell it through some sort of "stand" outside in the yard, then that would probably be okay. My local guy (who I talked to first) made it sound like there was no way I could do it. Then I get on here and I read posts from people who actually own a business that are mad about people selling cakes illegally. I completely see their point--they've put all this time and effort into it. How do I do it. The thing with me is, I work 24 hours per week managing a non profit store, I LOVE my job and have no intention of giving it up. I have two children and a husband to take care of. I don't undercut anyone just to get the business. If Krogers or another bakery gets $50 for a whole sheet cake, that's what mine start out at. (VERY VERY small town!) I just enjoy doing cakes on the side, I have 4 this month but next month I may not have any. I just kind of feel stuck!