Ten Years of MN Cottage Foods – Happy Anniversay!
It’s hard to believe that it has been ten years since the MN Cottage Food Bill passed and took effect on July 1st, 2015. It’s even harder to believe that this all began nearly fifteen years ago. By the time the bill came to be voted on in 2015, a very small group of us had already been working to get this bill passed for over 6 years. And here we are today, amazed and pleased to see how cottage foods have grown here in our great State!
It all began when I had the great idea of renting a small shop where I had planned to sell items already baked in my kitchen. I had thought that this would be a great way to get my baking known and make some money to enable me to expand. It would also help to see what interest there might be in the area before I invested more money into a real bakery.
So, armed with this wonderful idea I started checking into exactly what I would need to do this. Lo and behold, I found out that not only could this grand idea never be, but that even selling my baked goods from home at all was illegal. I did not know this, nor would I have even ever thought of it!
I’m not too proud to admit that I was crushed. I called my husband with this news and yes, there were some tears. I said, “Honey, I can’t bake my cakes anymore!” and he said, “Well, you aren’t going to want to hear this but if you don’t like the law you have to change the law.” And so, I who had never been particularly interested in politics of any kind, set out to do just that.
I started doing lots of research into how people legally sell baked goods from their homes in other states. At that time only twenty-five states even had a cottage food law. (Now every state has one except Wisconsin.) I discovered that the Cottage Food Law had been amended and passed in Michigan just a few months before I started my quest, which gave me a perfect starting point on how to proceed.
Then I found out that a lady by the name of Christy Stefanick had already gotten things rolling in Minnesota by creating the first petition and Facebook page to generate awareness of the fact that selling baked goods from your home was illegal in our state. I took over managing these two things for her not long after. Together with my friends Joleen, Amanda, and Marianne we continued to fight the battle. A lot of people did not even know such a law as the “cottage food law” existed or that it needed to be amended.
I spoke to my district Representative Jim Newberger about amending the bill and he immediately went to work on it. Our group sent 100’s of letters, spent hours on the telephone talking to state reps, and people like Denay Davis who had already passed this law in two other states, and the Harvard Legal Food Division. We reached out to the local newspapers, and even tried to get the television news channels involved. We did hours of research comparing the different state laws and how we could best implement them here. A friend of mine created a logo for us and we made up flyers to hand out at the fairs and other local events. We tried to get others in Minnesota involved. We set up centralized meetings inviting everyone interested in amending the cottage food law to attend. We sent out a survey asking the people of Minnesota to respond with their suggestions, ideas and how they could assist with this quest and that is when Karen Peterson and Jennifer Carriveau joined our little group.
In 2015, we had finally got to the place where things were lining up. Kathy Zeman from the Minnesota Farmers Market Association had begun working with us, all of the Departments such as the MN Dept. of Agriculture, the MN Dept. of Health and the MN Food Association, were on board and we had bipartisan support in Representative Newberger and Senator Dibble. Finally, it looked like we were getting somewhere. We had to make some concessions at that time, but we decided it was a good beginning.
The decision was made but the battle wasn’t over yet. We still had to get it through two committees in both the House and Senate. I don’t remember who all attended these meetings but I know Kathy and Marianne were at every one of them, sitting for hours to testify on our behalf. I’m not going to sugarcoat it. Some of the Representatives and Senators were just plain rude. Believe me, Kathy and Marianne are saints for sitting through all of that. But finally, after one last hold your breath moment, Governor Dayton signed the bill and we were legally allowed to become home-based cottage food producers.
Guess what? That was just the beginning of a whole new adventure. Now the fun began as Ben Miller and his team at the MN Dept. of Agriculture rushed to set up a cottage foods website, registration processing and how to best implement food safety regulations. Suzanne Driessen & Kathy Brandt at the University of Minnesota Extension and their team had to set up a cottage foods website, food safety classes, and many other things they do for the cottage food industry. Kathy Zeman and her people at the Minnesota Farmers Market Association updated their website to add the cottage food laws, links and regulations to it. I continued to author the Facebook page, blog and twitter accounts in an effort to keep everyone updated on everything that goes on concerning Cottage Food Producers and answering questions. All of this had to be done before July 1st, 2015 and I think everyone did a really good job with the amount of time we had.
Throughout the past few years, we have continued to work to get the law amended, to fix other small things that come up here and there, on things like the continued fight to register as LLCs and to ship our non-potentially hazardous, shelf stable products. Sen. Mathews was a major help in passing our bill in 2022. We have tried to work closely with the MDA to re-evaluate some things. As with anything new it is an ever-changing process and new variables occur as you go. There are always unforeseen questions that arise and we appreciate working with the MDA on these things.
Working with the University of Minnesota Extension has been wonderful. They have done a fabulous job of educating us on food safety, holding classes both in person and online to make it easier and easier to comply with registration regulations. The food safety classes, cottage food website, and FAQS page have been great resources. There is even a quarterly newsletter email called the Cottage Food Connection.
By the end of 2015 we had 500 registered cottage food producers, as of now we have over 10,000. In these ten years we have had cottage food producers begin their businesses from home and go on to become nationally known businesses and bakeries such as The Cookie Cups, Sailor Mercy, Fruit & Grain and Ginny Bites.
On January 22nd, 2020 we established the Minnesota Cottage Food Producer’s Association. At that time, we were the only official Cottage Food Producer’s Association operating in the United States. Virginia Loudan of Ginny Bites and one of our first board members, created our logo. We set up a website, had just begun to get organized and then, unfortunately, Covid-19 hit and things slowed down for a bit. However, since then we have been growing. We provide all of the resources we can on our website and have educational classes on marketing, decorating techniques and other recorded webinars. We hold two monthly virtual gatherings. The MNCFPA Members Social Hour is every second Tuesday and Third Thursdays with Tom is a place for any and all questions to do with cottage foods. We spend countless hours advocating at the Capitol and with legislatures. We can definitely use all of the help we can get. If you would like to become a member of our association, or just check out our website and resources there, you can find us at mncfpa.org.
The cottage food industry has become increasingly relevant throughout the nation. Covid definitely woke people up to the fact that when there are food shortages it is the cottage food producers who are willing and able to help provide bread and other important staples. It is the locally sourced foods that neighborhoods must rely on in an emergency. The only way to ensure these local food sources is to help them grow and maintain them before an emergency occurs.
During Covid we worked closely with the MDA and Kathy Brandt and Suzanne Driessen at the University of Minnesota Extension to create a Covid-19 preparedness plan specifically for cottage food producers. We also created a plan for safe delivery practices and many other important safeties helps. Our hope is that in the future all cottage food information and resources will be translated into languages other than English.
It’s been so exciting to watch this industry become recognized and evolve all over the United States. Forty-nine of the fifty states recognize the cottage food industry. Poor Wisconsin continues to battle with their legislatures. Cottage food producers are more than just a food source for their state’s residents; they contribute to their local and state economy through the items they purchase to create their delicious products.
We’ve accomplished a lot and we aren’t done yet. This year we were able to get a bill passed to allow us to ship our products, link the revenue cap to the index and increase food safety awareness. However, it doesn’t go into effect until July 2027. In 2026, we will continue to work on legislation, hopefully fix some of the kinks and get an equitable sales tax policy.
Usually in January or February we hold our Annual Cottage Food Producer’s Conference. Stay tuned and watch our pages and websites for more details when it gets closer to that time.
We have so many people to thank who have helped us over the years. It would take forever to name them all. From the many Senators and Representatives who have become our warrior heroes, to the scientists who have helped to perfect our water meters & safety courses, to the many agencies who have worked closely with us such as MFMA, AURI and the MDA, to the many fabulous cottage food producers who stepped up to help us get to where we are today. We are forever grateful for each and every one of you.
Recently we have been working with our friend and fellow cottage food producer Matt Rosen, creator of The Cottage Foodie, to organize what will be the very first national in-person cottage food conference, The Cottage Foodie Con. It will be held in Eden Prarie, MN on April 23rd – 25th, 2026. It’s going to be amazing and we hope to see you there.
Here’s to the past ten years of MN Cottage Foods and to many more successful years for all of our cottage food producers! Happy anniversary!! ~ Shelley Erickson, MNCFPA President
MN Cottage Foods Through the Years 
Our Senate champion, Scott Dibble. 
Karen Peterson 
Bonnie Sussman & Virginia Cherne 
Annette Gustafson 
Bowing our heads in the House of Representatives. 
Here we are! All ready to venture forth on our mission. 
Sen. Wiger & Debra Behrends 
What an honor to stand here with these ladies and Rep. Newberger. 
Maureen Widmer 
Dawn Olson 
Karen Peterson 
Please note that the food demonstrations have been cancelled to make time for other important functions. 
2020 Cottage Food Conference 
Very first MNCFPA members! 
Kathy Brandt 
Lindsay Kuehn 
The Food Academy 
Alida Sorenson – MDA 
Brand new logo draft. 
Cruz Chladek, one of our youngest CFPs! 
Annual get-together 
Meagan Forbes, IJ 
Sen. Mathews 
Rep. Newberger 
MNCFPA Outing 
Mat Rosen & Tom Nechodomu speak with Alida & the MDA 
Annual get-together 
Meagan Forbes, Deputy Commissioner Bailey, Sen. Mathews, Shelley Erickson & Jennifer Carriveau 
April Tighe 
Ashley Ann 
Learning about the new water meter from Dr. Morrine Omolo & her team. 
Back at the capitol! 
Kathy Zeman, MFMA – Talking about the Cottage Food Academy 
Sen. Lieski, Commissioner Petersen & Sen. Kupek Town Hall Meeting 
Tom Nechodomu of Behind the Breadbox won third place for his honey wheat bread. 
Muriel Kingery 
Stephanie Lynn of Shortie’s Sweet ‘n Treats, always amazes us with her yummy creations. This year she won the 2nd place red ribbon for her peanut butter honey cookies. 
Sen. Lieski & Jen Carriveau testifying at the capitol. 
2025 Annual Conference 
Jason from AURI 
Learning about pH values. 
Keynote speaker Virginia Loudan 
Bringing awareness to our cause at the capitol. 
Happy Anniversary!!
A Few Quick Updates
Hello everyone! It is that time of year when our friends at the MDA send out our re-registration forms. There are a few items you may want to know.
- Please watch for scams. We have had a few in the past. Tier 1 registration is totally free of charge, and the training for Tier 1 is also free of charge.
- If you are a Tier 1 producer and want to upgrade to Tier 2, now is the time to do that. You will need to take the Tier 2 food safety training before you register.
- Tier 2 registration is $50.00 per year. Tier 2 training is $50.00, good for three years.
- If you have moved and need to change your address, you can not re-register. You will have to fill out a new registration with your new address.
- Even if you are applying for a Tier 1 registration, please consider taking the Tier 2 training. It is $50.00, which is good for three years, and it has so much more information than the Tier 1 training. It is well worth it.
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2024 Meet the Minnesota Makers Holiday Gift Guide
Applications are open for the 2024 Meet the Minnesota Makers Holiday Gift Guide!
Any Minnesota-based small business that provides a direct-to-consumer product is encouraged to apply. This includes artists, artisans, authors, bakers, farmers, food producers and a range of service providers (think photographers, spa owners, pet services). Stores that carry local products also welcome.
Find the registration form on the Meet the Minnesota Makers website or reply to this email to receive the direct link. Applications will close Wednesday, November 20. The complete gift guide will be published before Thanksgiving.
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The Minnesota Farmers’ Market Association is holding it’s 2024 Annual Conference via Zoom on December 4th & 5th, 9am – 4pm.
You can register for free on their website: MFMA 2024 Annual Conference
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MNCFPA membership registration for 2025 is now open.
If you are not yet a member of our association, become a member today.
Registration from today ensures your membership until December 2025. The Minnesota Cottage Food Producers Association unites cottage food producers all over Minnesota and gives CFPs a unified voice when addressing topics that impact our industry, lobbying our lawmakers to strengthen the cottage food industry. We have instructional webinars, many resources and other opportunities. This year, thanks to the generosity of our friend Matt Rosen, we will be gifting our new members with a discounted subscription for The Cottage Foodie. For more information go to our website: mncfpa.org.
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2024 Schedule
Third Thursdays with Tom ~ November 21st
MFMA Annual Conference ~ December 4th & 5th
MNCFPA Members Social Hour ~ December 10th
Third Thursdays with Tom ~ December 19th
Fall 2024
Happy Fall everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful summer. We have a few updates and items to share with you.
First of all I want to say how wonderful it was to visit the MN State Fair and see all of the ribbons that our cottage food producers won. It was so exciting! I’m so proud of how far our Minnesota cottage food producers have come. I took a few pictures to share with you.
On a sad note, one of our blue ribbon winners was notified that she wasn’t allowed to compete in the competition. Someone had reported her as being a bakery. Since our bill passed in 2015 we have competed in the competitions and never had an issue. So, I wrote a letter to the fair competition people telling them that we are home producers and never had a problem in the past. I received a letter from the competition manager and also one from the competition staff. They both said exactly the same thing, word for word. Since we make a profit from our products we are no longer considered amateurs, and since so many people enter the competitions there is no way to police the entries, and basically that’s why nobody ever said anything to us. Until we were reported. So, I replied by saying that I appreciate all of their hard work and since we aren’t accepted under their guidelines, that perhaps they would introduce a new category for MN cottage food producers, as we are still making homemade products and have become a large and vital part of Minnesota that is not being represented. I sent this to both the manager and the committee staff. I received back, copy and paste from both of them, the exact same email they had sent before. That’s a total of four identical emails. I get it! But what about my question? So far no other reply.
Anyway, I am reaching out to you all and if you know anyone who runs things at the State Fair please ask them about this. Let us know if we need to start a petition or something. I would hate not to see our wonderfully talented cottage food producers represented at our very own state fair.
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We’re very thankful for Michelle Sharp of Meet the Minnesota Makers for always thinking of us and showcasing our wonderful cottage food producers. If you haven’t checked out her website you really should. It’s a treasure trove of everything that makes Minnesota amazing! Meet the Minnesota Makers
Michelle recently wrote a wonderful article about cottage foods for the magazine, Edible Minnesota, which can be found in the Fall 2024 edition. Meet Minnesota’s Cottage Food Community can be found on pages 7 through 9.
This is a really nice magazine to subscribe to. It’s very interesting and has lots of yummy recipes in it. For more information click the link: Edible Minnesota
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We have written in past blogs about supporting Matt Rosen, our dear Sgt. Shortbread, as he creates and develops one of the best, if not only, cottage food directories in the US. The Cottage Foodie has really taken off, with cottage food producers from four different states currently being showcased. Be sure to check it out. Share the directory with everyone on your friends list to help them find the best local homemade foods closest to them. If you are a CFP, become a member. It’s growing better every day! The Cottage Foodie
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Here is the link for the most recent Cottage Food Connection written by our MN Extension Food Safety team. If you would like to receive their emails directly please subscribe to them.
They also have some upcoming webinars you may be interested in attending.
Oct. 14th ~ Drying, dehydrating and freeze-drying produce
Nov. 12th ~ Cottage foods: Selling high-moisture foods
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Everyone today is experiencing the same worrisome issue of rising costs. Our ingredients have gone up quite a lot. A fellow cottage food producer created this graph to show how much her expenses have risen just in the past few years.
There are many reasons for the rising costs. The war in Ukraine where a large amount of our wheat comes from. The weather damaging crops of cocoa and vanilla beans. The list goes on and on. Unfortunately we can not control these things, but there are a few things we can do to help lower our expenses.
One of these things is to buy local products as much as possible. Many of our CFPs have discovered that their neighbors with chickens are very happy to trade a pie or a loaf of bread for a dozen eggs. Milk, butter, and honey, are just a few items that can be purchased locally, helping you to cut store costs, as well as helping your local economy.
Stock up when you see a sale. Buying in bulk can also help keep prices down, but be sure to do the math. Sometimes you find that buying an item when it goes on sale is much cheaper. Clearance items after a holiday is one of my favorite things! You can find many items such as spices, sprinkles and boxes, that can be used all year long drastically reduced this way.
Many of our fellow CFPs make their own Vanilla, which is another very expensive item in the baking world these days. Try to get all of your baking done at one time, then decorate and assemble everything later. Getting the maximum use of your oven will save on gas or electricity. Bake at the coldest time of the day to help with heating costs. There’s nothing better than baking on a chilly fall day!
Last but not least, if you have too much of something that you are not planning to use, see if one of your fellow CFPs has something they would like to trade that you do need. Bartering is a fabulous way to help ourselves and the community.
I am sure that most of these things you already know, but it never hurts to share our ideas. Let me know if you have an idea on how to cut costs. Here’s to a successful holiday season!
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Now I have something really cool to tell you about! Our good friends at the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, AURI, have been working on a project called AVA. It is the AURI’s Virtual Assistant and I love how easy it is to use! You can ask any question about the food industry and it will give you an answer. I liked that I could edit the automated questions to make them more precise about what I was trying to find out. The copy and paste function is really nice!
The AURI’s website states, “AURI’s Virtual Assistant, AVA, is a free virtual assistant for agricultural producers, food entrepreneurs, innovators and founders across the food chain to find answers to common food business, science and safety questions. Funded by the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development to connect ag producers and entrepreneurs to new value-added food opportunities and to expand food businesses by providing 24/7 access to the knowledge and expertise.”
AVA is still learning and developing but it has been launched and you can check it out for yourself here. I think it’s going to be a fabulous reference guide for cottage food producers. Click the link to find out more: AURI’s Virtual Assistant
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2024 MNCFPA ANNUAL GET-TOGETHER!
On November 2, 2024 we will have our annual cottage food get-together at the Monticello Community Center. We will be in the Mississippi Room from 12pm to 3pm.
We will be serving a meal and great conversations! The community center offers swimming, rock climbing, and other activities. There is an additional charge for these activities.
The cost for this event is: Members: $5.00 Family $20.00 Non-members: $10.00 Family $35.00
Registration will open October 15th on our website mncfpa.org. Please register so that we can make sure that we have enough food.
If you would like to bring a treat to share that would be awesome.
If you would like to bring a swimsuit and spend the day, there is a daily charge to use the swimming pool, rock climbing wall and other activities is: $10.00 18yr to 55yr, $9.00 4yr to 17yr, 56yr and older, $0.00 3yr and under.
We can’t wait to see everyone!
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If you are not yet a member of our association, become a member today. The Minnesota Cottage Food Producers Association unites cottage food producers all over Minnesota and gives CFPs a unified voice when addressing topics that impact our industry, lobbying our lawmakers to strengthen the cottage food industry. We have instructional webinars, many resources and other opportunities. For more information go to our website: mncfpa.org.
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Have a wonderful Fall season!
June 2024, A Few Updates
Hi Folks! Happy Summer 2024! I hope you are had a nice spring. I just wanted to share with you the latest Cottage Food Connection newsletter from the Food Safety Team at the U of M Extension. There is an update about the new food sampling law requirements, upcoming webinars and other interesting items. You can also find important updates and information at this link: Cottage Food Safety News
If you haven’t signed up to get yours yet, you can do that here: Sign up for the Cottage Foods Connection newsletter
Third Thursdays with Tom will resume September 19th, 2024, at 7:00 pm.
The Year 2024
Hello everyone! It’s been several months since I sat down to work on a blog post. I have been dealing with several personal and health issues which caused me to have to place some things on hold for a period of time. In the meanwhile it has given me some time to think. One of the things I have been wondering about is how many people actually read this blog. So if you are one of those people who do enjoy reading this blog, please do me a favor and hit the “like” button at the end of the blog. I am also wondering if there are any specific topics you might be interested in hearing more about. If so, please type that into the “comments” section at the end of the blog post or send me an email at mncfpa@gmail.com. Thank you so much!
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Well, we are already in the fifth month of the year 2024. Just saying that boggles the mind. Weren’t we supposed to be flying around in cars like the Jetsons by now? Instead we are still right here on the ground, trying to do something as simple as get a law passed to ship our products through the mail. Our non-potentially hazardous foods mind you, which most of us already mail to our kids who are off in college, or to our parents and grand-parents on a holiday.
That being said, this year we once again focused on getting a bill passed to allow for the shipping of cottage foods for humans, as well as the micro-enterprise kitchen bill (SF 3131). The legislative session began February 12th and Sen. Lieski has been doing his best to get this accomplished. You never know, miracles happen every day. Sen. Putnam also introduced a bill (SF 3958) that would exempt cottage food producers from having to pay state sales taxes. The last we heard it had been held over for possible omnibus inclusion.
There were several other states that worked on cottage food bills this year. David Crabill of Forrager wrote a great summary of this and I am sharing his insights below. To keep up to date on cottage food laws throughout the US, please subscribe to David’s newsletters at Forrager.com.
“So far there are 23 home food bills on the bill map, across 13 different states. All told, there are 15 cottage food bills, 4 food freedom bills, and 4 micro-restaurant bills.
Alaska ~ It’s been a dozen years since Alaska created their cottage food law. Now they are trying to greatly expand it with their food freedom bill (HB 251), which would allow many types of perishable foods to be sold. Their bill would also enable indirect sales of non-perishable foods through stores. However, it’s not yet clear if this bill would remove their burdensome $25,000 sales limit (if not, then I wouldn’t necessarily call this “food freedom”).
Arizona ~ As I already mentioned in a previous email, Arizona finally passed their food freedom bill (HB 2042)! It will take effect later this year (likely September or October), and it’s a massive improvement to their law. Arizona also had a simple bill (HB 2864) to try to allow freeze-dried fruits and vegetables, but it’s no longer needed with the passage of HB 2042.
Georgia ~ Georgia’s bill (HB 583) from last year is still alive, but it has been entirely replaced with new bill language. It started as a food freedom bill to allow sales of perishable foods, but now it would be a simpler (but still significant) improvement to their cottage food law. If passed, it would allow indirect sales, remove the home address label requirement, and make it easier for someone to start their business.
Hawaii ~ Hawaii’s bill from last year (SB 756) is continuing on this year in the form of a new bill (HB 2144/SB 2106). HB 2144 has been getting a lot of attention, but the House and Senate have had trouble reaching an agreement on what should be included in the bill. Initially it started as a food freedom bill which would have allowed perishable foods, but in its current form it would be a great cottage food law, allowing all non-perishable foods and most acidified/fermented foods, and allowing sales at all venues (direct, indirect, wholesale, & shipping). Hawaii also has another bill (HB 1591) which is trying to create a micro-restaurant law.
Illinois ~ Illinois has four bills this year, many of which are similar to each other. One of them (HB 4121) is unlike the others, and is trying to allow interstate sales and the option for counties to allow indirect sales. Of the other three bills, HB 2617 is getting all of the attention, and has now incorporated elements of the other two. This bill is trying to allow “mobile farmers markets”, which are essentially food trucks, but I’m not sure if they will be limited to just farmers, or if cottage food businesses will be able to have food trucks too. In addition, the bill would regulate cottage food producers who live in areas without a health department.
Mississippi ~ I waxed poetic about Mississippi a couple weeks ago, so I’ll spare you the details this time, but you can read my previous email in case you missed it. Long story short, Mississippi once again failed to pass a cottage food bill (SB 2638).
Massachusetts ~ One of Massachusetts’ bills from last year (H 758) is rolling into this year. If passed, it would make it much easier for someone to start a cottage food business in the state.
Michigan ~ This year’s bill (HB 5024) for Michigan is more ambitious than last year’s efforts. Like before, they are trying to increase the sales limit (to $43k), but they are also trying to remove the home address label requirement and allow online sales and in-state shipping in certain cases. Specifically, the producer would need to meet face-to-face with the customer, either physically or virtually, in order to sell online and ship — this is the first time I’ve seen a hybrid approach for allowing remote sales.
Minnesota ~ Minnesota has three bills this year. First, they have a simple bill (SF 3958) that would exempt cottage food products from being taxed by the state. Another bill (SF 4500) would prevent producers from needing a handwashing sink at events if their pre-package their samples. And their final bill (SF 3131) has rolled over from last year and is trying to create a micro-restaurant law.
New York ~ New York’s micro-restaurant bill (S 1057) is still technically alive, but it hasn’t received any attention for the past 3 years, so I’m not holding my breath on this one. But we will see!
Oklahoma ~ As I shared a couple weeks ago, Oklahoma’s bill (HB 2975) has passed and will allow a producer to avoid putting their name, home address, and phone number on labels by requesting a registration number. It will take effect in November.
Virginia ~ As I shared a couple months ago*, Virginia’s bill (HB 759) has already passed, and it will go into effect on July 1st. This improves Virginia’s basic cottage food law by enabling direct sales at events and tripling the sales limit for selling acidified foods (pickles, salsas, etc). It also clarifies that online sales are allowed, and allows producers to sell items out of a bulk bin at markets. * Please note that I was mistaken in my previous email: the bill does not allow in-state shipping.
Washington ~ Just like last year, Washington once again has two bills with the same focus. Their cottage food bill (SB 5107) seeks to increase the sales limit to $50k (last year’s increased it to $35k). Their other bill (HB 1706) has rolled over from last year and is trying to create a micro-restaurant law.
Once again, you can check the status of these bills on the 2024 Cottage Food Bills map.“
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The UMN Extension is offering a webinar series titled Food Safety Foundations. The webinars are twice a month, every month until December 2024. Webinars are free but registration is required. After registering, you will receive the webinar link.
The new food safety team has been working hard to update everything they inherited from the previous food safety team at the extension and we’re happy to announce that the e-newsletter, previously known as The Cottage Food Connection, will be back in distribution on a monthly basis (the 4th Thursday of each month). And there is now a Food Safety news feed that will house the articles to be included in the e-newsletter. The news feed is live on the Extension page here on the right side of the page and you can right here: Sign up to receive the Cottage Foods newsletter from Extension
The news feeds will keep articles for 2 years and then automatically archive them. So if there is something you want to keep make sure you save it.
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Since it’s Farmers’ Market season, a lot of people have been asking questions such as how to set up, how much product to bring, where are the best markets and how to join them, etc. Tom Nechodomu, who hosts our Third Thursdays with Tom webinar, made a video with Kathy Zeman, executive director of the MN Farmers’ Market Association. They answered quite a lot of the questions you may have. You can watch Becoming a Vendor at MN Farmers Markets here: https://youtu.be/GrnhQbnbXIQ?si=oOAqxgApPS0hf_8n
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We’re pretty excited to share with you a new directory that our friend Matt Rosen, owner of Sergeant Shortbread has created for cottage foods. With this directory everyone will be able to find the very best home made foods anywhere in Minnesota. It just launched this past week, so please be patient as the many cottage food producers in Minnesota add their names. Did you know that there are almost 9000 registered cottage food producers in Minnesota? We’re quite proud of that. 🙂
To check the new directory please click here:
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There are many new cottage food producers selling mainly pet treats. Especially now that the pet treats can be shipped. It’s so exciting to be able to create these fun things for all the cuties out there. Just remember to do your research, as some of the ingredients in some of the online recipes aren’t recommended for dogs and cats. We do have a Non-potentially Hazardous Foods list for pets on our website mncfpa.org.
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I want to share with you some general info and tips written by one of our awesome association members, Heather Mahoney, owner of Heather’s Home Goods. Even though there is training when you register to be a cottage food producer, there is still so much information that’s helpful to know.
Go through the training of course but also check out and become familiar with the NPH Food (Non-potentially Hazardous Foods) list. It’s not all inclusive but a great and important guiding document for us:
https://www.mncfpa.org/potentially-non-hazardous-list/….
👉Cottage Food Producers are not licensed, rather they’re exempt from licensing
👉You cannot sell through consignment or at a retail store. Currently, you also cannot ship.
👉 If you want to operate under a DBA name, you’ll need to follow the steps to register/pay with the MN Secretary of State.
👉 Just because you found a canning recipe online doesn’t mean it’s “safe”. Recipes from the commercial pectin packages, current Ball Canning books, https://nchfp.uga.edu/ , and University Extensions are your best bet for approved recipes.
👉 Certain products can be tested in a lab to be considered “safe”. There’s a cost involved. A common one I see tested is good old Lefse 🙂
Banana Bread must be tested…but often fails. It’s just too moist.
👉 Some products are taxable, meaning you’ll need a tax ID from the MN Dept of Revenue. Canned goods for example require tax. In my area that means state and local tax. Some areas may have additional tax. Some food is not taxable. This can get complicated.
👉Oh…and if you’re a baker, pumpkin pies and cheesecakes are not allowed. No caramel apples with a stick inserted either. Again, check out the “not allowed” column of the NPH listed above.
👉 If you’re interested in liability coverage, many of us “CFP’ers” purchased policies from Ram Mutual. $19/month gets you about $1million in coverage.
👉You don’t need a fancy website or even a logo to be successful. Consider starting with a Facebook or Instagram page which is free.
If you are not yet a member of our association, become a member today. The Minnesota Cottage Food Producers Association unites cottage food producers all over Minnesota and gives CFPs a unified voice when addressing topics that impact our industry, lobbying our lawmakers to strengthen the cottage food industry. We have instructional webinars, many resources and other opportunities. For more information go to our website: mncfpa.org.
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Last, but most definitely not least, thank you to everyone who attended our 2024 MNCFPA Annual Conference in February. I was so bummed not to be able to join you all for our first in-person conference since the covid pandemic. A special thanks to my MNCFPA board for stepping in and picking up my slack to create a wonderful event. I have heard from many attendees that they had a good time and we had some great speakers.
We especially want to thank Senator Bill Lieski, MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen, and Senator Robert Kupec for taking part in our Town Hall Meeting and for so graciously answering all of our questions.
Thank you so much to our speakers; Kathy Zeman, Executive Director of MFMA, who gave us an AW demo. Jen Carriveau, Vice President of MNCFPA for labeling requirements, cookie decorating with Jaime Zuis, Owner of Spider Monkey’s Bake Shop, and Q&A with Tom Nechodomu. The second day we welcomed Megan Forbes from the Institute for Justice who gave a legislative update, and Alida Sorenson with an MDA update. Amy Johnston from the U of M Extension spoke about food safety and Cindy Hale, also from the U of m Extension, gave a pH demonstration for us. Unfortunately Sina War from the MFMA could not join us but very kindly pre-recorded a video about Marketing Tips & Social Media.
Once again thank you all!
We look forward to seeing you at our 2025 Annual MNCFPA Conference.
September 2023
Happy Fall Everyone! I hope that everyone had a successful summer in spite of the heat. I know that we had so many cottage food producers submit their pickles, jams, jellies, baked goods, etc. to their local county fairs and the state fair. Because our community is so wide and wonderful, it’s always a proud moment when one of you all wins, because it just feels like it’s a win for us all. I asked our cottage food chat group to send me some pictures of their ribbons. I know there were so many more, but this is what I received. Congratulations to one and all!
Muriel Kingery of Sundog Handmade won a bunch of blue ribbons at the Beltrami County Fair for her cookies and cupcakes. 
Stephanie Lynn of Shortie’s Sweet ‘n Treats, always amazes us with her yummy creations. This year she won the 2nd place red ribbon for her peanut butter honey cookies. 
Rick Gustafson of CinnaSweet Treats won the 1st place blue ribbon at the Minnesota State Fair for his spectacular cinnamon rolls. 
Sarah Bahnsen of Minne Bakes created these beautiful cookies representing some of Minnesota’s iconic legacies. 
The Silly Yak took home two 1st place blue ribbons in the gluten free category! One for their Italian herb artisan bread & one for this delicious looking ginger spiced banana bread. 
Congratulations to Synthia Mcbrayer for her state fair wins! She won 2nd place for her chocolate cake and pictured here is her 1st place carrot cake, which also won the Grand Cake Sweepstakes! So cool! 
Jessica Mayer of Bake You Happy won 4th place at the MN State Fair for her very pretty chocolate cake. 
Tom Nechodomu of Behind the Breadbox won third place for his honey wheat bread. 
Barry Zelickson, owner of Bzbaking, took 3rd place for his Challah in the bees and honey contest. 
Last but most definitely not least. This year’s MN State Fair blue ribbon winner in the decorated cake category went to Maddy Faircloth of Sticky Fingers Sweets! The theme was roadside attraction and she nailed it. We are soooo proud of all our Minnesota Cottage Food Producers. Well done!
Our 2023 Annual Get Together was held on a warm and humid September day in Mankato. We rented the Giving Barn at the Sibley Park. What a great park! There is a big playground, a petting farm with the cutest animals and the flowers are beautiful. We had a smaller turn out than we hoped, but we very much enjoyed visiting with all of those who could attend. It was such an honor to have Sen. Lieski join us with his lovely family. He even participated in the pie eating contest. Tom Nechodomu was our winner. 🙂 All in all we had lots of good food, lots of fun door prizes and a very enjoyable time. Next year our 2024 Get-Together will be held in October. Date and place to be determined.
Minnesota Cottage Foods Academy
The Minnesota Farmers’ Market Association and the Minnesota Cottage Food Producers Association has partnered to help individuals who would like to become registered cottage food producers. This class will help to understand the laws, training and registration procedure.
This 2-hour training will cover the legal requirements; food safety issues; completing the MDA training, test, and submitting your application. pH and water activity testing will be demoed. Registration required. IF you or someone you know needs the training in a language other than English, please email info@mfma.org
Click class below to register for the date that works best for your schedule:
OCTOBER 2023
- Thursday | October 19, 2023 | 10am-12pm
- Saturday | October 21, 2023 | 1 – 3pm
- Monday | October 23, 2023 | 6-8pm
NOVEMBER 2023
- Tuesday | November 7, 2023 | 2 – 4pm
- Wednesday | November 8, 2023 | 6 – 8pm
- Saturday | November 18, 2023 | 10am – 12pm
DECEMBER 2023
- Monday | December 4, 2023 | 10am – 12pm
- Wednesday | December 13, 2023 | 6-8pm
- Sunday | December 17, 2023 | 1 – 3pm
Upcoming Events
| September 21, 2023 | 7pm to 8:30pm | Third Thursdays with Tom |
| October 10, 2023 | 7pm to 8pm | MNCFPA Members Social Hour |
| October 19, 2023 | 7pm to 8:30pm | Third Thursdays with Tom |
| November 14, 2023 | 7pm to 8pm | MNCFPA Members Social Hour |
| November 16, 2023 | 7pm to 8:30pm | Third Thursdays with Tom |
| December 6 & 7, 2023 | 9am – 4pm both days | MFMA’s Annual Conference |
| December 12, 2023 | 7pm to 8pm | MNCFPA Members Social Hour |
| December 21, 2023 | 7pm to 8:30pm | Third Thursdays with Tom |
| January 18 & 19, 2024 | TBD | January 18 & 19, 2024 |
If you are not yet a member of our association, become a member today. The Minnesota Cottage Food Producers Association unites cottage food producers all over Minnesota and gives CFPs a unified voice when addressing topics that impact our industry, lobbying our lawmakers to strengthen the cottage food industry. We have instructional webinars, many resources and other opportunities. For more information go to our website: mncfpa.org.
This summer I spent a little time catching up on some of the baking shows. Two of them really caught my eye. One is Crime Scene Kitchen, where the teams have a few minutes to find the clues and then decipher and recreate what was made in the kitchen. The other is Bakers Dozen on Hulu. This has 13 bakers competing for the golden rolling pin, they win based on presentation, taste and creativity of the baker. What caught my attention was that both these shows pit trained professional bakers against self-taught home bakers. It really made my heart happy to see how well the home bakers held their own and how often they won in each match.
My point in all of this is that the cottage food industry is not only growing, but it is here to stay. This summer we had several cottage food producers show cased in newspaper articles, magazine articles, and television news segments. MNCFPA & two other CFPs were interviewed for one of Leah Beano’s news pieces on Fox 9, Cottage foods in Minnesota: Home cooks building businesses.
Cottage Foods across the country is growing stronger and stronger. This is a great time of opportunity for us, as well as great responsibility. Let’s continue to show the world the beauty of our community, through kindness, consideration for all, and the quality of our products.
I will close with this article about our Tom Nechodomu owner of Behind the Breadbox. Tom is the wise voice of Third Thursdays with Tom, and is not only an MNCFPA board member, he is also an MFMA board member. He’s pretty awesome. 🙂 Tom Nechodomu of Behind the Breadbox.
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Summer 2023
Happy Anniversary Everyone! It’s been eight years since we got our cottage food bill passed. We’ve had many more successes along the way. Some things we have won, some we have not yet won. 🙂 Together we will continue to improve our cottage food law and prove what a vital resource the cottage food industry is to our state and to our country.
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These summer days have been beautiful in spite of the heat and haze. I know a lot of you have been dealing with this at the markets. Please be sure to stay hydrated and wear a hat if you are in the sun. I was reading about the hazards from the smoke in the air. I found an article from the California Air Resources Board that said just wearing a regular mask doesn’t help with smoke particles.
“While cloth face coverings offer protection against COVID-19 virus spread, they do not provide protection against smoke particles. People who must be outdoors for long periods, in areas with heavy smoke, or where ash is disturbed, may want to wear a NIOSH-certified N95 respirator mask. Those with existing respiratory, lung or heart conditions should limit their exposure by staying indoors. Since wearing a respirator can make it harder to breathe, those with lung or heart conditions should check with their doctor before using one. – For More Information click the link.“
Please be careful out there you all and be sure to take what precautions you can.
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Tomorrow, July 1st, the pet bill change takes place and shipping your homemade pet treats will now be allowed. Nothing else regarding pet treats has changed. Use caution when creating your treats and reference the Non-potentially Hazardous Foods List for pet treats on our website mncfpa.org. Below is the official statement by the MDA and some links if you have any questions.
Starting July 1, 2023, registered Minnesota cottage food producers may ship cottage pet treats in the mail or by commercial delivery to the end consumer. Previously, all cottage pet treat products needed to be exchanged in person. Please note that this change in law only applies to cottage pet treats, not to cottage food intended for humans. Cottage foods intended for humans are not allowed to be shipped in the mail or by commercial delivery.
License and registration fees and penalties paid by licensed pet treat producers that switch from Commercial Feed licensing to a Cottage Food Producer Registration will not be refunded. The MDA does not have statutory authority to refund these fees.
For more information about cottage foods in Minnesota:
Please contact the MDA Licensing Liaison with questions at mda.foodlicensingliaison@state.
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If you are interested in how other Cottage Food bills have faired this year in legislation subscribe to Forrager.com. He keeps tabs on each states information as much as possible. It has been a crazy year for legislation. In three states, Texas, Arizona and Minnesota, we had total bipartisan support from the legislatures. Unfortunately in all these cases, politics intervened, either through department finagling or Governor vetoes. It should be remembered that our legislatures are the ones we vote for to represent us. Not the hired departments. We need to remember when we go to vote to be sure to vote for the ones who will stand for up for us. We the people do have that right, but we have to take a stand and not sit quietly by the side watching what happens next.
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The cottage food industry is fabulous. It is made up of individuals who put heart and soul in all we do. We don’t just go to work in some retail kitchen and then go home not caring what happens to the finished product. We create. We design works of art that delight all of the senses. Cottage food producers care about each other and want each other to succeed. We work hard to follow the rules and make our products safe for our consumers.
So, it comes as no surprise that when we see others who are not giving this same care and consideration to their consumers and the law that it is beyond frustrating.
However, we need to remember that not everyone knows what the food laws are. First and foremost, remember, it is not our job to police others. That job belongs to the MN. Department of Agriculture. If you see someone blatantly disregarding the law you should contact them.
But there are a few things we can do to help others who may be unaware of the law.
Never embarrass someone publicly. Either on social media or elsewhere. Think how you would feel if it were you. Privately reach out to the person in question. Send a private message which simply says, “Hey, I’m a cottage food producer and just in case you didn’t know, what you are selling requires registration, labeling, etc.” You may find out that they didn’t know it was illegal and it opens the door to help educate someone to the cottage food industry.
If you see someone at a market or vendor event not following the law, we have created a handout to makes it easier to share information about cottage foods. With the collaboration of the MN Farmers’ Market Association, the Dept. of Agriculture, the University of MN Extension, and the MN Cottage Food Producers Association we created this form. It is made to easily print out and cut in half for you to share with others.
It is always possible that the person in question may tell you to mind your own business. In that case, once again, it is not our job to police others.
Also, remember that the “Lemonade Law” does exist. People can legally sell whatever they want to up to $1000.00 from their homes. Sec. 103. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 157.22
I am so proud of who we are and how far our industry has come in the past 13 years. Always be a positive example of cottage foods and yes, I am going to say it, make me proud! 😊
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Recent & Upcoming Events
This week we had a wonderful webinar with Michelle Sharp from Meet the Minnesota Makers. She spoke about how to improve your presence on social media and enhance your marketing. Association members should have access to the recording by next week.
On July 12th, Dr. Morrine Omolo will be holding a Water Meter Demonstration Webinar via Zoom. To register for this please go to the events section of our website mncfpa.org.
Don’t forget to save the date for our annual get-together which will be held September 9th at the Sibley Farm in Mankato. More information coming soon!***************************************************************************************************************
If you are not yet a member of our association, become a member today. The Minnesota Cottage Food Producers Association unites cottage food producers all over Minnesota and gives CFPs a unified voice when addressing topics that impact our industry, lobbying our lawmakers to strengthen the cottage food industry. We have instructional webinars, many resources and other opportunities. For more information go to our website: mncfpa.org.
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Have a safe and wonderful Fourth of July!
May 2023
Hi everybody! Happy May! We have some news and updates for you.
This month was filled with a lot of waiting to find out what would be included in the final SF 1955 omnibus bill. As most of you know by now, we ended up with our proposed amendments being sabotaged by the House conference committee at the last minute, in spite of the very broad bi-partisan support. Needless to say, it was a huge disappointment, not only for us but also our Senators and Representatives who had worked so hard on our bill. If you didn’t see the last video we shared discussing what happened on the legislative floor, you can watch it here: https://www.facebook.com/MNCottageFoodLaw/videos/1982118485458241/
By the way, we did not get the community event definition added as Sen. Putnam had thought.
On a positive note we did accomplish changing the pet treat bill so that we will be able to ship pet treats. This should go into effect on August 1st.
2023 Minnesota State Fair Dates: Aug. 24 to Labor Day, Sept. 4
I know that the end of summer is the last thing we want to be talking about now that spring is finally here. However, we need to talk about the baking & canning competitions. It is so much fun to see all of our amazing cottage food producers enter their specialties and all of the ribbons that they win every year. The information for how and when to enter these competitions was sent out today. The entry deadline is August 1st, 2023.
Click the links to find out more information on how to enter your specific products.
Pictured is Stephanie Krueger’s prize winning blueberry muffins.
University of Minnesota Extension
A workshop will be hosted by Extension in June.
The Commercial Kitchen and Cottage Food Regulations workshop is on June 14. Register here. Space is limited to 50 participants—a 30-minute panel Q & A following three excellent presentations.
Minnesota Farmers’ Market Association
Farmers’ market season has begun and we are excited to be a part of them. For great information about where to find your local markets and what it takes to be a vendor, check out the MFMA website, mfma.org.
Resources for Markets and Vendors
Be sure to subscribe to their newsletter to keep up with the latest farmers’ market news.
SAVE THE DATE!
Our 2023 Annual Get Together will be on September 9th, 2023 in the Giving Barn at the Sibley Farm in Mankato. We will post more details at a later date, but we are going to have lots of fun and good food!
SAVE THE DATE!
Important Announcement!
Due to the busy market, wedding and graduation season, the MNCFPA social hour and Third Thursdays with Tom are taking a break for the summer. Feel free to contact any of the board members if you need assistance with anything. We will have a few webinars that we will tell you about when they’re finalized. We will also be strategizing for our next legislative venture as soon as we catch our breaths from this one. It was definitely a crazy session. Next session we are going to need every single one of your voices to be heard. Get ready!
Last but most definitely not least. The Minnesota Cottage Food Producers Association is a non-profit organization, totally run by volunteers. All of the work that has been done to advocate on behalf of Minnesota’s cottage food producers has been a labor of love. It is important for you to know that when we ask for your help it is a serious request. We have to stand united to get these bills passed. Please think about that this summer. Think about how far the cottage food industry has come in Minnesota. Think about the fact that it can all be taken away from us in the blink of an eye. That’s how our legislatures work. Make sure they’re working for you.
If you are not yet a member of our association become a member today. The Minnesota Registered Cottage Food Producers Association unites cottage food producers all over Minnesota and gives CFPs a unified voice when addressing topics that impact our industry, lobbying our lawmakers to strengthen the cottage food industry. We have instructional webinars, many resources and other opportunities. For more information go to our website: mncfpa.org.
April 2023
This month has been quite a rollercoaster in regards to legislation. At first we thought things were done, then we were told that new life had been breathed back into our bill and it was added to the SF1955 omnibus bill. Our hardest working ever VP Jen has been running back and forth to the capital representing all of us. Meeting with committee members and striving to keep our bill alive despite the opposing endeavors of others. Many letters have been sent and much effort has been put into this legislative session. As we said in our earlier blog post today, the conference committee will meet early Monday morning and then we will see what happens after that. Whether we win this or not, we can rest proud in the knowledge that we did our best.
Please be sure to send your emails if you haven’t done so already.
Call to Action – SF 1955 / HF 2278 – Agriculture, Broadband, and Rural Development Conference Committee is Meeting – Monday, May 1 at 8:30 am
We need cottage food producers and those who support cottage foods to contact their Senator or Representative if your lawmaker is on the conference committee (listed below). You can send an email or call. Please leave a message if no one answers the phone. Please do this ASAP.
In your message (email or call): Indicate that you are a constituent, include your address, and “ask that they support leaving the amended language in senate file 1955 for MN Statue 28A.152 allowing cottage foods to be shipped and please include it in the final Agriculture, Broadband, and Rural Development Omnibus Bill.” Also, remember to thank them.
Here is a link for you to check to see if one of the committee members represents you: Who is my MN State Senator or MN Representative?
Here are the members of this committee:
Senators- Chair Senator Aric Putnam (14), Senator Robert Kupec (4), Senator Torrey Westrom (12)
Representatives: Chair Samantha Vang (38B), Representative Kristi Pursell (58A), Representative Paul H. Anderson (12A)
Please contact jcarriveau@mncfpa.org with any questions.
This month I also spent some time attending the second Home-based Food Entrepreneur Virtual National Conference that took place April 10th to the 13th. There were less attendees this time, only 450. The first one had 900 attendees. I honestly did not spend as much time with this one as the first one. For one thing most of it was pre-recorded giving us the ability to access these sessions at a later time. Since we have been so busy with other things this wasn’t a bad thing. As with the first national conference there was a lot of content. David Crabill of Forrager was the keynote speaker and he always has something interesting to say. I think I was most interested in the subjects that the attendees were discussing amongst themselves. It was very similar to our own MN CFP chat group discussions, but on a national level. It was really fun to compare. If you registered for this event you still have access to the recordings until July 1, 2023. You can also access the topics that our fellow CFPs were discussing and catch up on that. All in all, such an event takes a monumental amount of work and Lisa Kivirist, John Ivanko and Renewing the Countryside deserve a huge thank you for making this possible.
Farmer’s Market season is here! Many of our Minnesota spring/summer markets are open for business the first week of May. If you are looking for a market near you, the Minnesota Farmers’ Market Association has a great map that shows you many of the markets in our state. Check it out here: Find Your Farmers’ Market!
Many cottage food producers are vendors at the famers’ markets. If you are wondering what you need to do as a famers’ market vendor please watch this fabulous video we made with Kathy Zeman of the MFMA and Tom Nechodomu of the MNCFPA: Becoming a Vendor at MN Farmers Markets
Check out our May events. We are so excited to have guest speaker John Krumheuer of MSP Kitchenery talk to us about the pros and cons of operating a commercial kitchen, if and when you decide to take that step. Please register here: Using a Commercial Kitchen
| May 9, 2023 | 7:00pm – 8:00pm | MNCFPA Members Social Hour |
| May 17, 2023 | 7:00pm – 8:30pm | Using A Commercial Kitchen with John Krumheuer |
| May 18, 2023 | 7:00pm – 8:30pm | Third Thursdays with Tom |
If you are not yet a member of our association, become a member today. The Minnesota Registered Cottage Food Producers Association unites cottage food producers all over Minnesota and gives CFPs a unified voice when addressing topics that impact our industry and lobbying our lawmakers to strengthen the cottage food industry. We have instructional webinars, many resources and other opportunities. For more information go to our website: mncfpa.org.
Stay positive everyone and don’t forget to send those emails. Together we can get this done!
We Need Your Help
Call to Action – SF 1955 / HF 2278 – Agriculture, Broadband, and Rural Development Conference Committee is Meeting Monday, May 1 at 8:30 am
We need for cottage food producers and those who support cottage foods to contact their Senator or Representative if your lawmaker is on the conference committee (listed below). You can send an email or call. Please leave a message if no one answers the phone.
In your message (email or call): Indicate that you are a constituent, include your address, and “ask that they support leaving the amended language in senate file 1955 for MN Statue 28A.152 allowing cottage foods to be shipped and please include it in the final Agriculture, Broadband, and Rural Development Omnibus Bill.” Also, remember to thank them.
Here is a link for you to check to see if one of the committee members represents you: Who is my MN State Senator or MN Representative?
Here are the members of this committee:
Senators- Chair Senator Aric Putnam (14), Senator Robert Kupec (4), Senator Torrey Westrom (12)
Representatives: Chair Samantha Vang (38B), Representative Kristi Pursell (58A), Representative Paul H. Anderson (12A)
Please contact jcarriveau@mncfpa.org with any questions.
Here is a booklet of a few of the emails and letters that we received from CFPs and are giving to lawmakers highlighting how shipping will benefit them. Please click the link.
Minnesota Cottage Food Producer's Association 
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