Oh Happy Day....michigan Home Bakers!!!
Decorating By grandmaruth Updated 21 Jul 2010 , 1:40am by bobwonderbuns
Just heard on the local news that Governor Granholm has signed a bill for us to bake out of our kitchens without a license!!! Have to ck on line for more info but they said that you just cant earn over 15,000.00 a year...(no problem for me) but great news!!!
I went to MI Govt's website and here is what I found:
www.michigan.gov
Cottage Foods
The Cottage Food law, enacted in 2010, allows individuals to manufacture and store certain types of foods in an unlicensed home kitchen.
Select the links below for more information about Cottage Foods in Michigan.
Cottage Food FAQ's
Cottage Food Labeling Guide
What are Cottage Foods?
Specific types of foods that you manufacture in the kitchen of your single family domestic residence.
What does a single family domestic residence include?
This is the place where you live,whether you own the home or are renting. So an apartment, condominium or a rental home all could be a single family domestic residence. It does not include group or communal residential
settings, such as group homes, sororities or fraternities.
What types of Cottage Foods can I produce in my home?
Non-potentially hazardous foods that do not require time and/or temperature control for safety. Examples include:
Breads, Similar baked goods, Vinegar and flavored vinegars, Cakes, Fruit pies,
Cookies, Dry herbs and herb mixtures, Jams and jellies in glass jars that can be stored at room temperature, Popcorn, Cotton Candy.
How do I sell my Cottage Foods?
You may sell your Cottage Foods directly to the consumer at farmers markets, farm stands, roadside stands and similar venues. The key is you are selling it directly to the consumer. You cannot sell your Cottage Foods to a retailer for them to resell or to a restaurant for use or sale in the restaurant. You cannot sell your Cottage Foods over the internet, by mail order, or to wholesalers, brokers or other food distributors who will resell the Cottage Foods.
Why cant I sell my Cottage Foods to my favorite restaurant or grocery store? The Michigan Food Law Cottage Food amendments do not allow this. Because the kitchen is unlicensed and not inspected, the safe food handling practices are not evaluated by any food safety official. Since the safe food handling practices are not being evaluated, the food is not considered an approved source for use in a restaurant or grocery store. Also, it is not possible for the final consumer to discuss your food safety practices with you, as you would not be selling or serving the product to the consumer.
Do I have to put a label on my Cottage Foods?
Yes, you are required to label your Cottage Foods. Here is an example of a label that should help you develop your own labels.
MADE IN A HOME KITCHEN NOT INSPECTED BY THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Chocolate Chip Cookie
Artie Pinkster
123 Foodstuff Lane
Casserole City, MI 82682
Ingredients: Enriched flour (Wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine, mononitrate, riboflavin and folic acid), butter (milk, salt), chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, butterfat (milk), Soy lecithin as an emulsifier), walnuts, sugar, eggs, salt, artificial vanilla extract, baking soda
Contains: wheat, eggs, milk, soy, walnuts
Net Wt. 3 oz
The basic information that must be on the label is as follows:
Name and address of the Cottage Food operation.
Name of the Cottage Food product.
The ingredients of the Cottage Food product, in descending order of predominance by weight. If you use a prepared item in your recipe, you must list the sub ingredients as well. For example: soy sauce is not acceptable, soy sauce (wheat, soybeans, salt) would be acceptable, please see the label above for further examples.
The net weight or net volume of the Cottage Food product.
Allergen labeling as specified in federal labeling requirements.
The following statement: Made in a home kitchen that has not been inspected by the Michigan Department of Agriculture in at least the equivalent of 11-point font and in a color that provides a clear contrast to the background.
What does allergen labeling as specified in federal labeling requirements mean?
It means you must identify if any of your ingredients are made from one of the following food groups: milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts, soybeans, fish (including shellfish, crab, lobster or shrimp) and tree nuts (such as almonds, pecans or walnuts). So if you have an ingredient made with a wheat based product, you have two options:
1. Include the allergen in the ingredient list. For example, a white bread with the
following ingredient listing: whole wheat flour, water, salt and yeast. In this
Email questions to MDA at [email protected] example the statement Whole Wheat Flour, meets the requirements of federal law.
2. Include an allergen statement (Contains:) after the ingredient list. For
example a white bread, with the following ingredients: whole wheat flour, water,
sodium caseinate, salt and yeast. Contains wheat and milk.
The Contains statement must reflect all the allergens found in the
product. In this example, the sodium caseinate comes from milk.
Are there any special requirements for tree nuts labeling for allergens? Yes, if your Cottage Food has tree nuts as an ingredient you must identify which tree nut you are using. For example, if you made the following product:
Nut Bread, an acceptable ingredient list would be: wheat flour, water, almonds, salt, yeast. The following would not be acceptable: flour, water, nuts, salt, yeast.
Are there any other limits I need to know about Cottage Foods?
Yes, you are limited in the amount of money you can make selling Cottage Foods - which is $15,000 gross sales annually per household.
Can I make the Cottage Food products in an outbuilding on my property, like a shed or a barn?
No, the law requires the Cottage Food products be made in your kitchen and stored in your single family domestic residence. Approved storage areas include the basement and attached garage of the home where the food is made.
Will I need to meet my local zoning or other laws?
Yes, the Cottage Food exemption only exempts you from the requirements of licensing and routine inspection by the Michigan Department of Agriculture.
What oversight does the Michigan Department of Agriculture have over my Cottage Food operation?
Cottage Food operations are considered to be food establishments, but will not
have to meet most requirements outlined in the Michigan Food Law. In all cases, food offered to the public in Michigan must be safe and unadulterated, regardless of where it is produced. As a Cottage Food Operator, it is your responsibility to assure the food you make is safe. In the event a complaint is filed or a foodborne illness is linked to your food, the Michigan Department
of Agriculture will investigate your operations as part of our responsibility under the Michigan Food Law. As part of that investigation, it may be necessary for the Michigan Department of Agriculture to enter and inspect your Cottage Food production and storage areas, view and copy records, and take photos during the course of a complaint investigation. The Michigan Department of Agriculture also has the right to seize product suspected of being adulterated, order corrections of label violations, or require you to discontinue making unapproved products.
If you have additional questions, please contact [email protected].
THANK YOU, grandmaruth for letting us know about it!! I hadn't heard about it yet!
Where are you in MI?
not from MI but from what i just read as i understand it you cannot SELL over the internet so ship orders. it's suppose to be locally ie farmer's markets and venues of that sort though if you are using it to market yourself locally, get contacts or place orders-it could be touchy seeing that the essence is that Cottage Food products aren't regulated. hope that helps 
Thanks so much for posting this! I hadn't heard about it yet. Now I can relax and try to sell a cake now and then instead of always giving them away for free. I don't make enough cakes to warrant renting a kitchen. I know that my kitchen is probably cleaner and my food handling techniques are better than you would find in many establishments, so this is great for me. Michigan has certainly been suffering and this is something that can potentially give some people an opportunity to help make ends meet. Great news! 
auntbeesbaking, I am from Memphis Michigan about an hour north of Detroit.just a small town where it is hard to get the prices they talk about on this site but i can dream ...this is such a great thing that this passed isnt it?
Congrats to all the home bakers in Michigan!!! This is great news for you guys, I'm truly happy for all of you!
I'm SO THRILLED with this law being passed! It was truly a bi-partisan effort!
I've had a website up for a few months now because my friends & family kept asking me to so they could see my pictures without having to sign up for a Facebook account. I'd like to know further information on merely advertising this way with 100% of the sale being done in person. I would assume that as long as I don't offer a way for someone to pay for my baked goods via online (website/paypal, etc.) & I'm shipping nothing then I'm in the clear. However, official confirmation of this would be nice!
Another question I've had is about "pre-packaged". I could label the bottom of a cake board to be compliant, but a good number of my cakes wouldn't fit into most boxes. I deliver them open like "Ace of Cakes" & others I've seen on TV. Oh & is delivery ok? I live a considerable distance from people who would buy my cakes and/or I MUST assemble a lot of them on-site. I wonder how this plays with the new law.
If anyone learns the answers to my concerns before I do, please post them!! Thanks!
What constitutes selling on the internet? If I mention something on say facebook but the buyer contacts me to set up a meeting and in the end delivered directly to the buyer, is that considered selling over the internet?
Please help me understand, I want to make sure I'm following the law correctly.
TIA
Nikki
Thanks so much for the clarification mpetty. That's how I thought it read also. I'm just so excited.
Thank you so much grandmaruth for posting this I am soooo excited!!! And thank you auntbeesbaking for your added info on this. I cant tell you how much this will help us out for me to be able to sell my cakes now!! Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!! You guys rock!!!
I thought it was signed into law last week. Am I mistaken?
I went to MI Govt's website and here is what I found:
www.michigan.gov
Cottage Foods
The Cottage Food law, enacted in 2010, allows individuals to manufacture and store certain types of foods in an unlicensed home kitchen.
Select the links below for more information about Cottage Foods in Michigan.
Cottage Food FAQ's
Cottage Food Labeling Guide
What are Cottage Foods?
Specific types of foods that you manufacture in the kitchen of your single family domestic residence.
What does a single family domestic residence include?
This is the place where you live,whether you own the home or are renting. So an apartment, condominium or a rental home all could be a single family domestic residence. It does not include group or communal residential
settings, such as group homes, sororities or fraternities.
What types of Cottage Foods can I produce in my home?
Non-potentially hazardous foods that do not require time and/or temperature control for safety. Examples include:
Breads, Similar baked goods, Vinegar and flavored vinegars, Cakes, Fruit pies,
Cookies, Dry herbs and herb mixtures, Jams and jellies in glass jars that can be stored at room temperature, Popcorn, Cotton Candy.
How do I sell my Cottage Foods?
You may sell your Cottage Foods directly to the consumer at farmers markets, farm stands, roadside stands and similar venues. The key is you are selling it directly to the consumer. You cannot sell your Cottage Foods to a retailer for them to resell or to a restaurant for use or sale in the restaurant. You cannot sell your Cottage Foods over the internet, by mail order, or to wholesalers, brokers or other food distributors who will resell the Cottage Foods.
Why cant I sell my Cottage Foods to my favorite restaurant or grocery store? The Michigan Food Law Cottage Food amendments do not allow this. Because the kitchen is unlicensed and not inspected, the safe food handling practices are not evaluated by any food safety official. Since the safe food handling practices are not being evaluated, the food is not considered an approved source for use in a restaurant or grocery store. Also, it is not possible for the final consumer to discuss your food safety practices with you, as you would not be selling or serving the product to the consumer.
Do I have to put a label on my Cottage Foods?
Yes, you are required to label your Cottage Foods. Here is an example of a label that should help you develop your own labels.
MADE IN A HOME KITCHEN NOT INSPECTED BY THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Chocolate Chip Cookie
Artie Pinkster
123 Foodstuff Lane
Casserole City, MI 82682
Ingredients: Enriched flour (Wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine, mononitrate, riboflavin and folic acid), butter (milk, salt), chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, butterfat (milk), Soy lecithin as an emulsifier), walnuts, sugar, eggs, salt, artificial vanilla extract, baking soda
Contains: wheat, eggs, milk, soy, walnuts
Net Wt. 3 oz
The basic information that must be on the label is as follows:
Name and address of the Cottage Food operation.
Name of the Cottage Food product.
The ingredients of the Cottage Food product, in descending order of predominance by weight. If you use a prepared item in your recipe, you must list the sub ingredients as well. For example: soy sauce is not acceptable, soy sauce (wheat, soybeans, salt) would be acceptable, please see the label above for further examples.
The net weight or net volume of the Cottage Food product.
Allergen labeling as specified in federal labeling requirements.
The following statement: Made in a home kitchen that has not been inspected by the Michigan Department of Agriculture in at least the equivalent of 11-point font and in a color that provides a clear contrast to the background.
What does allergen labeling as specified in federal labeling requirements mean?
It means you must identify if any of your ingredients are made from one of the following food groups: milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts, soybeans, fish (including shellfish, crab, lobster or shrimp) and tree nuts (such as almonds, pecans or walnuts). So if you have an ingredient made with a wheat based product, you have two options:
1. Include the allergen in the ingredient list. For example, a white bread with the
following ingredient listing: whole wheat flour, water, salt and yeast. In this
Email questions to MDA at [email protected] example the statement Whole Wheat Flour, meets the requirements of federal law.
2. Include an allergen statement (Contains:) after the ingredient list. For
example a white bread, with the following ingredients: whole wheat flour, water,
sodium caseinate, salt and yeast. Contains wheat and milk.
The Contains statement must reflect all the allergens found in the
product. In this example, the sodium caseinate comes from milk.
Are there any special requirements for tree nuts labeling for allergens? Yes, if your Cottage Food has tree nuts as an ingredient you must identify which tree nut you are using. For example, if you made the following product:
Nut Bread, an acceptable ingredient list would be: wheat flour, water, almonds, salt, yeast. The following would not be acceptable: flour, water, nuts, salt, yeast.
Are there any other limits I need to know about Cottage Foods?
Yes, you are limited in the amount of money you can make selling Cottage Foods - which is $15,000 gross sales annually per household.
Can I make the Cottage Food products in an outbuilding on my property, like a shed or a barn?
No, the law requires the Cottage Food products be made in your kitchen and stored in your single family domestic residence. Approved storage areas include the basement and attached garage of the home where the food is made.
Will I need to meet my local zoning or other laws?
Yes, the Cottage Food exemption only exempts you from the requirements of licensing and routine inspection by the Michigan Department of Agriculture.
What oversight does the Michigan Department of Agriculture have over my Cottage Food operation?
Cottage Food operations are considered to be food establishments, but will not
have to meet most requirements outlined in the Michigan Food Law. In all cases, food offered to the public in Michigan must be safe and unadulterated, regardless of where it is produced. As a Cottage Food Operator, it is your responsibility to assure the food you make is safe. In the event a complaint is filed or a foodborne illness is linked to your food, the Michigan Department
of Agriculture will investigate your operations as part of our responsibility under the Michigan Food Law. As part of that investigation, it may be necessary for the Michigan Department of Agriculture to enter and inspect your Cottage Food production and storage areas, view and copy records, and take photos during the course of a complaint investigation. The Michigan Department of Agriculture also has the right to seize product suspected of being adulterated, order corrections of label violations, or require you to discontinue making unapproved products.
If you have additional questions, please contact [email protected].
Is there anything in the bill about pets in the home?
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