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Kansas Cottage Food Label Requirements

Kansas cottage food label requirements are short, because Kansas has no separate cottage food law. Homemade foods that need no refrigeration or special processing can be sold straight to the end consumer without a license. The Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) asks for the product name plus your name and address on packaged foods, and K-State Research and Extension adds the ingredients and the quantity. There is no required "homemade" statement.

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Kansas cottage food label requirements: map of the United States with Kansas highlighted
Homemade food label

What goes on a Kansas homemade food label

Kansas runs on a license exemption, not a cottage food act. KDA and K-State Research and Extension list these four parts for packaged foods.

Example Kansas homemade food label for cinnamon rolls with the product name, the baker's name and street address, an ingredient list by weight and the net weight
  1. 1
    Common name of the productKDA
    What the food is, in plain words: "Cinnamon Rolls", "Apple Pie" or "Dry Rub".
  2. 2
    Name and address of the producerKDA
    Who made or is selling the food, and where. K-State spells it out as the name and physical address.
  3. 3
    Ingredients, heaviest firstK-State MF3138
    List every ingredient in descending order of predominance. K-State points out this matters most to buyers with food allergies.
  4. 4
    QuantityK-State MF3138
    Net weight, volume or count, whichever fits the product: "NET WT 12 oz" for granola, "6 rolls" for a box of cinnamon rolls.
  5. No "homemade" statement requiredKansas ruleK-State Research and Extension says uninspected foods in Kansas do not need a "homemade" or "not inspected" line. You may still print "Homemade" on the label if you like.
Kansas at a glance

License, where to sell and online sales

LicenseNot neededFor food sold directly to the end consumer that needs no time and temperature control or specialized processing.K.S.A. 65-689(d)(4)
Where you sellDirect onlyFarmers markets, craft fairs, bazaars and fairs. You keep control of the food until the buyer has it, so no consignment sales and no booth left for someone else to run.
Online salesAllowedKDA allows internet sales under the same exemption, shipping included, as long as you follow the rules of the state you ship to.
Sales capNone setThe Kansas exemption has no dollar limit. What counts is the type of food and selling to the end consumer.
Jams yes, other home canning noWatch outKDA's rule: traditional jams and jellies are fine, while other home-canned products, pickles and canned vegetables need a license. K-State's guide lists a few naturally high-acid canned fruits, like applesauce, as allowed, so ask KDA before you sell one. Pepper jelly made with the flesh or seeds of peppers first needs a process authority review, for example at the Kansas Value Added Foods Lab.Homemade Jam Label →
Cream pies, cheesecake and jerkyFoods with milk, eggs, meat or cut produce that need temperature control are non-exempt: cream or meringue pies, cheesecake, custards, cream filled cupcakes, jerky. They need a food establishment license and a kitchen separate from your own.Baked Goods Label →
Selling to shops or shipping out of state?Wholesale to grocery stores or restaurants needs a licensed facility. Shipped orders follow the receiving state's rules, and food sold across state lines falls under the federal label rules: net quantity in two units, allergens and often a Nutrition Facts panel.FDA Food Labeling Requirements →
Sources

Where this comes from

Questions

Kansas label questions

Not a separate one. Kansas law exempts a person who sells food directly to the end consumer from the food establishment license, as long as the food needs no time and temperature control for safety or specialized processing. That exemption works as the Kansas cottage food rule. Cottage Food Law →

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