Michigan Cottage Food Label Example: What to Put on Yours

On this page

1. What MDARD expects on the label
2. A simple label example
3. Before you print

If you have looked at labels from other states, you may have seen a different order or different wording. Michigan is its own check. The Maryland cottage food label template is useful for seeing how another state handles the same job, but do not copy it onto a Michigan label. Start with MDARD’s current labeling page, then build your label from that page.

What MDARD expects on the label

MDARD’s labeling page is the place to confirm the six required elements and the exact statement. The statement is not a slogan you can shorten or rewrite. It must be the exact MDARD statement, and it must be in at least 11-point type. MDARD also publishes a Food Labeling Guide that summarizes general labeling requirements, so you can use it to check the rest of your label.

For the ingredient list, MDARD’s labeling page uses whole wheat flour as an example of an ingredient listing that meets the requirements of federal law. After the ingredient list, include an allergen statement that begins with Contains:. Put that allergen statement after the ingredients, not mixed into the middle of the list. If you are unsure how to word the rest of the label, the Indiana cottage food law label requirements show another state’s field list, but Michigan’s six elements still control.

A simple label example

Use this as a layout check, not as a replacement for MDARD’s six-item list. Ingredients: whole wheat flour, then your other ingredients in the form MDARD accepts. Contains: the allergen or allergens in your bake. Then the exact MDARD statement, copied word for word and set at 11-point type or larger. Then the remaining items from MDARD’s six-element list, using MDARD’s current wording and order. Check every line against MDARD’s labeling page before you print.

Hand-printed labels can work. MDARD says hand-printed labels are acceptable if they are clearly legible, written with durable permanent ink, and printed large enough to equal the required font size. That means no pencil, no smudged marker, and no tiny writing that fails the type size check. If you sell at a market or take orders from home, make the label easy to read at a glance. For a look at how another state handles label fields, see the Illinois cottage food law label requirements.

Before you print

1. 1

   Open MDARD's labeling page

   Confirm the six required elements and the exact MDARD statement. Use the page as your source, not a screenshot from an old post.

2. 2

   Build the ingredient list

   Use MDARD’s example of whole wheat flour as a guide for an ingredient listing that meets federal law.

3. 3

   Add the allergen statement

   Place it after the ingredient list and begin it with Contains:.

4. 4

   Add the exact MDARD statement

   Copy the statement word for word and set it at 11-point type or larger.

5. 5

   Check hand-printed labels

   If you write labels by hand, use durable permanent ink, keep every letter legible, and make the writing large enough to equal the required font size.

6. 6

   Check the rest of the label

   Use MDARD’s Food Labeling Guide for general labeling requirements, and use the Cottage Foods Checklist as a starting resource.

The licensing side can feel confusing, so keep the two ideas separate. Michigan’s Food Law exempts cottage food operations from licensing and inspection provisions, but a cottage food operation must still comply with labeling and other provisions in the Michigan Food Law. Cottage food operators who qualify under the exemptions are exempt from obtaining a food establishment license under the Food Code, and there are no application forms to complete. That does not mean the label is optional. It means the label is the part you still have to get right.

Common questions

Do I need a license to sell Michigan cottage food?

Cottage food operators who qualify under the exemptions are exempt from obtaining a food establishment license under the Food Code, and there are no application forms to complete. The operation must still comply with labeling and other provisions in the Michigan Food Law.

Can I hand write my Michigan cottage food labels?

Yes, if they are clearly legible, written with durable permanent ink, and printed large enough to equal the required font size.

Where does the Contains allergen statement go?

After the ingredient list. The statement should begin with Contains:.

What size type does the exact MDARD statement need?

At least 11-point type. The source material notes it is 11-point rather than 10-point.

Can I use whole wheat flour as an ingredient example?

MDARD's labeling page uses whole wheat flour as an example of an ingredient listing that meets the requirements of federal law. Use it as a guide, then check your full ingredient list against MDARD's page.

Sources

1. MDARD cottage food labeling page
2. MDARD cottage food labeling page, hand-printed labels
3. MDARD cottage food main page
4. MDARD cottage food getting started FAQ
5. MDARD Food Labeling Guide
6. MDARD Cottage Foods Checklist
7. Bake Profit Michigan cottage food label requirements

General information, not legal advice. Check MDARD's current labeling page and the Michigan Food Law for your situation.