Iowa cottage food law reviewed at Kalona Chamber lunch

By Cheryl Allen
Posted 2/1/23

Being subject to licensing and inspection can be a barrier for many who contemplate starting their own home-based food businesses.  Fortunately for Iowans, some foods can be made at home and …

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Iowa cottage food law reviewed at Kalona Chamber lunch

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Being subject to licensing and inspection can be a barrier for many who contemplate starting their own home-based food businesses.  Fortunately for Iowans, some foods can be made at home and sold directly to consumers without masses of red tape.  These are referred to as “cottage foods.”

Iowa’s cottage food law changed last year; to help explain those changes, Cindy Rico Chavez gave a presentation and answered questions at the Kalona Area Chamber of Commerce’s business lunch on Jan. 19.  Rico Chavez is a public health inspector for Washington County’s Environmental Health department, which licenses and inspects food establishments in the county, among other responsibilities.

The actual requirements of the law are of interest both to the Kalona chamber, which manages the farmer’s market and occasional vendor/craft shows where these laws would need to be adhered to, and to small local entrepreneurs who sell foods, such as baked goods, spice mixes, and jams, at these venues. 

“Our cottage food law specifically discusses any food that does not require any temperature control,” Rico Chavez explained.  She went on to outline the four criteria that must all be met to be considered a cottage food not subject to license or inspection: the food must be prepared in a private residence; it must not require temperature control to ensure safety; it must be sold directly from the producer to a consumer; and it must be properly labeled.

Changes to the cottage food law greatly expanded opportunities for homemade food businesses.  The sale of many shelf-stable foods that do not require refrigeration is permissible; these include a broad range, such as breads, biscuits, pastries, cookies, candies, fruit pies, jams, jellies, trail mixes, and granola.  Although the sale of low-acid canned goods is still not legal, acidified and pickled foods such as salsa and sauerkraut are now legally sold.  Internet and mail-order sales used to be prohibited but are now allowed.  

The labeling requirement has changed somewhat; in addition to other information, such as the common name of the food product, contact information, and specific allergens, the label “has to say, ‘This product was produced at a residential property that is exempt from state licensing inspection’” Rico Chavez said.

Not every food or situation will fall under the cottage food law; some producers may require a home food processing license.  

“The difference between our cottage food law and our home food processing law, essentially, is that, let’s say for example you want to sell cookies.  You know they don’t require any temperature control, so you can sell them from your house under the cottage food law without any license, without any inspection.  But you can only sell it directly to a consumer,” Rico Chavez explained.  

“If you have a home food processing license, you could sell that to a consumer and to a retail outlet.  To a grocery store.  You could wholesale it,” she continued.  “And with our home food processing [license], you can also sell foods that require temperature control for safety.”

The $50 home food processing license is “a lot more paperwork and procedural work,” according to Rico Chavez, but “it’s attainable.  It’s doable.  The Department of Inspections and Appeals has wonderful templates and examples that they have created on their website.  We hope that guides individuals who are interested in this license.”

Several business owners stayed after the lunch presentation to ask Rico Chavez questions about the revised regulations.  Businesses that hoped to grow beyond the limits of cottage foods especially desired assistance with how to become compliant as home food processing establishments.

For more information about Iowa’s cottage food law, visit the Department of Inspections & Appeals at dia.iowa.gov/cottage-food-law and the Washington County Environmental Health department at washingtoncounty.iowa.gov/202/Environmental-Health.