Customers can more easily find locally made jams, jellies

It recently became easier for farmers with cottage food operations in Southwest Michigan to get their products to market.

Jams, jellies, granola, dried fruit and herbs, cereal dry mixes, candy and baked goods are among the products affected by a bill recently signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

"Michigan's new Cottage Food Law, which allows people to produce and package food items in a home kitchen for resale, is positive news for food entrepreneurs and will help increase the availability of locally made food in the state," says Paul Stermer, of Kalamazoo's Fair Food Matters.

The Cottage Food law applies only to people with annual product sales of $15,000 or less so it really doesn't affect operations by Fair Food Matters Can-Do Kitchen because the incubator deals with larger operations.

The production or packaging of cottage food products by someone in their home kitchen is defined by the law as a cottage food operation.

"This legislation promotes the production and sale of Michigan-made food products," Granholm says. "It will be a boost to small and medium-sized farms, local farmers markets and entrepreneurs throughout the state."

Regulatory barriers in the state's food production and distribution laws previously discourage many farmers from organizing cottage food operations.

To ensure food safety, cottage food operations would still be subject to enforcement actions by the Michigan Department of Agriculture.

Cottage food products would have to be pre-packaged and properly labeled prior to sale. Certain information is required to be on the product label, including ingredients, allergen information as required by federal law, and the name and address of the cottage food operation.

Cottage food products can be sold only directly from the cottage food operation to the consumer. Internet and mail order sales are prohibited, as are sales by consignment or at wholesale.

Writer: Kathy Jennings
Source: Paul Stermer, Fair Food Matters