What Cottage Food Hub Is
Cottage Food Hub is an independent informational reference covering cottage food laws for all 50 states of the United States. Our goal is to give home bakers, jam makers, candy sellers, tamale vendors, and other kitchen entrepreneurs a clear, accurate starting point before they start selling — without burying the answer in agency jargon or requiring a law degree to parse.
Cottage food law is genuinely complicated. Every state has different rules, different terminology, different caps, different product lists, and different registration requirements. Government agency websites are often hard to navigate, outdated, or written for agency staff rather than small producers. We try to fix that.
How We Research
Every state page is built from primary sources: the actual state statutes (cited by section number on every page), official department of agriculture guidance documents, and where available, published agency FAQ documents.
We note significant law changes by date — like Mississippi's 2022 cap increase or California's Class A/B distinction — because one of the biggest problems with cottage food information online is that it is years out of date. We flag when a page was last reviewed and encourage readers to verify with their state before selling.
Our Accuracy Standards
- Primary source only — every cap amount, tier designation, and disclaimer requirement comes from the actual statute, not from another website's summary of the law
- Dated law changes — when a law changes, we note what changed and when
- Conservative framing — when a rule is ambiguous or varies by county (like California), we say so rather than giving false certainty
- Verification prompt — every page includes a reminder to confirm with your state agency before selling, because we are a reference tool, not the final word
What This Site Is Not
- Not legal advice — we are not attorneys and nothing here is legal advice
- Not affiliated with any state agency — Cottage Food Hub has no relationship with any department of agriculture or food safety agency
- Not a substitute for state verification — laws change; always confirm current rules with your state before selling
If a law has changed or you find incorrect information, please contact us. We take accuracy seriously and update pages promptly when laws are amended. Law corrections from readers are welcome and appreciated — include the statute citation and we will verify and update immediately.
Affiliate Disclosure
Cottage Food Hub participates in the Amazon Associates program. Some pages contain links to products on Amazon that are relevant to cottage food producers. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we believe are genuinely useful to cottage food sellers. Our editorial content — including law summaries, state pages, and labeling guides — is never influenced by affiliate relationships.
Contact and Corrections
Use the contact form for corrections, topic suggestions, or partnership inquiries. We respond within 1–2 business days.