Note: If you have a food manufacturing license this does not apply to your product.

Cottage Food Laws:

The 2022 Tennessee Food Freedom Act changed the cottage food laws allowing homemade, non-Time and Temperature Control food products to be produced at a private residence and sold within the state without a food manufacturing license or permit from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.

Allowed Non-TCS products are foods that do not support the growth of harmful bacteria and the processing steps do not require stringent controls to issue a safe product. They do not contain meat, poultry, fish, or whole eggs. They do not require refrigeration for safety, such as slaw, fresh salsa, freshly cut vegetables; fresh bean/pasta/chicken salads and more.

Find the full list of permitted and non-permitted Cottage Law foods here.

You are responsible for knowing these FOOD LAWS and abiding by them at the Collierville Farmers Market.

If your product does not meet the requirements of a Cottage Food Law and you would still like to sell it, consider renting a space in a local licensed commercial kitchen such as Memphis Kitchen Co-Op.

Cottage Food Law Labeling Requirements

The 2022 Food Freedom Act requires specific information to be provided to the consumer. In most cases, the information must be on the label attached to the product packaging, although there are other options for bulk packaging as described below. All homemade food products sold under the cottage food laws must include the following information as directed in the FFA:

1. Producer contact information including:

― Producer’s name
― Home address
― Telephone number

2. Common/usual name of the homemade food product i.e. “Apple Preserves”

3. Ingredients of the food item in descending order of predominance by weight

4. The following statement: “This product was produced at a private residence that is exempt from state licensing and inspection. This product may contain allergens.”

The information required must be provided in the following forms/formats depending on packaging and sale:

-On a label attached to the product packaging. Any product that is packaged, regardless of the method of sale, must include the above information on the packaging label.

-On a label attached to the bulk container if the product is being sold out of a bulk container.

-On a placard or sign displayed at the point of sale if the product is not packaged or sold from a bulk container.