Cottage food rules
Cottage Food Law Ohio Label: What to Put on Yours
A clear look at the Ohio cottage food label rule, so you can print labels with confidence.
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What to remember
- Label every food product you sell from your cottage food operation.
- The label must carry the information named in Ohio Revised Code Section 3715.023.
- Ohio Administrative Code rule 901:3-20-02(A) points back to that statute and to other required food labeling information.
- One required element is “This product is home produced” in 10-point type.
- Ohio lists six label elements, so check the full list before you print.
If you bake from your home kitchen and sell in Ohio, the label is not decoration. It is part of how your cottage food operation stays on the right side of the rule. The Ohio Department of Agriculture says a Cottage Food Production Operation must properly label all of its food products with specified information. The statute and the administrative rule are the place to confirm the exact wording. For a closer look at the Ohio label itself, see Ohio cottage food labels.
What Ohio law says about your label
Ohio Revised Code Section 3715.023 is titled “Labels for cottage food production operation, processor, or beekeeper.” The statute requires a cottage food production operation, along with a maple syrup or sorghum processor and beekeeper described in division (A) of section 3715.021, to label each of their food products. That means every product you sell needs a label, not just the boxes you take to a market.
The Ohio Administrative Code backs this up. Rule 901:3-20-02(A) requires a cottage food production operation to label each food product and to include the information mandated by section 3715.023, in addition to other required food labeling information. Chapter 901:3-20 governs cottage food production operations and requires each food product to carry the information mandated by section 3715.023.
The label elements you need to confirm
Ohio’s cottage food label requirements include six elements. One of them is the statement “This product is home produced” printed in 10-point type. The other elements are part of the same list, so do not treat one line as the whole label. Use the official sources to confirm the full set before you print a batch of labels. A label template can help you lay out the fields, but the wording still has to match the rule. See cottage food law label template for a layout you can adapt.
Before you print your Ohio label
Print a test label and read it out loud. Check that the home produced statement is in 10-point type and that every product has a label, not just the ones you photograph for social media. If you sell at a market, pack labels the same way you pack boxes, so you are not writing them at the table.
If you want to compare the Ohio rule with a general checklist, read cottage food law label requirements. For a filled in example you can follow, see cottage food law label example.
Make labeling part of your selling routine
A label is easier to keep up with when it is part of the same routine as taking orders. Decide where you store your labels, how many you keep on hand, and who checks them before a box leaves your kitchen. If you sell at a market, put a spare sheet of labels in your cash box. If you take orders through your shop, keep the label wording with your product details so you are not rewriting it from memory each week.
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Common questions
Does Ohio require a label on every cottage food product?
Yes. Ohio law requires a cottage food production operation to label each of its food products, and rule 901:3-20-02(A) repeats that requirement.
What is the home produced statement in Ohio?
Ohio's label requirements include the statement "This product is home produced" printed in 10-point type. It is one of six elements listed for Ohio cottage food labels.
Where do I find the full Ohio label requirements?
Start with Ohio Revised Code Section 3715.023 and Ohio Administrative Code rule 901:3-20-02. The Ohio Department of Agriculture also states that cottage food operations must properly label all food products with specified information.
Can I use a label template from another state?
Use a template only as a layout aid. Ohio's label must include the information required by section 3715.023 and other required food labeling information, so check the wording against Ohio sources before you print.
Do I need to label food I sell from home?
Ohio law applies to a cottage food production operation, and the requirement is to label each food product. If you are selling cottage foods in Ohio, plan to label every product.
Sources
This is general information, not legal advice. For your own situation, check the Ohio Revised Code, the Ohio Administrative Code, and the Ohio Department of Agriculture, or talk to a lawyer.