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Oregon Cottage Food Label Requirements

Oregon cottage food label requirements come with a longer list than most people expect. Every package carries the statement "This product is homemade, is not prepared in an inspected food establishment and must be stored and displayed separately if merchandised by a retailer." on the principal display panel, plus your business name and phone number, your address or ODA number, the ingredients, the net weight or volume in US and metric units, allergens, and a line naming any pets in your home. Get it right and you sell up to $52,700 a year with no license and no registration.

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Oregon cottage food label requirements: map of the United States with Oregon highlighted
Cottage food label

Required on every Oregon cottage food label

These items come from ORS 616.723 and the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) rules for the Cottage Food Exemption. Print them in a type size that is easy to read: at least 1/16 inch, measured on a lowercase "o".

Example Oregon cottage food label for hazelnut toffee with business name and phone number, ODA identification number, ingredients, net weight in ounces and grams, a Contains line, a pet line and the homemade statement
  1. 1
    The homemade statementORS 616.723(6)(a)
    "This product is homemade, is not prepared in an inspected food establishment and must be stored and displayed separately if merchandised by a retailer." It goes on the principal display panel.Principal Display Panel →
  2. 2
    Business name and phone numberORS 616.723(6)(b)(A)
    The name of your food business and a phone number where customers can reach you. ODA's FAQ confirms the phone number is not optional.
  3. 3
    Address or ODA numberORS 616.723(6)(b)(B) · OAR 603-025-0335
    Your full street address, city, state and ZIP. Or only city, state and ZIP when your business is listed in a city directory. Or the Unique Identification Number (UIN) ODA issues for $25 a year. A P.O. box doesn't count.
  4. 4
    Name of the foodORS 616.723(6)(b)(C)
    Plain words that say what it is, like "Hazelnut Toffee" or "Marionberry Jam".
  5. 5
    Ingredients, sub-ingredients tooORS 616.723(6)(b)(D)
    In descending order by weight. Chocolate chips list what's in them, in parentheses after the name.
  6. 6
    Net weight or volume in two unitsODA Cottage Food Exemption guide
    ODA asks for both US and metric units, like "Net Wt 8 oz (227 g)".
  7. 7
    Allergen warningsORS 616.723(6)(b)(F)
    The nine major allergens as federal law defines them, for example "Contains: Milk, Hazelnuts".
  8. 8
    Pets in the homeORS 616.723(6)(b)(H)
    Any pets in the house, named by species, for example "Pets in the home: dog, cat". Pets may live there, they just can't be in the kitchen while you cook for sale.
  9. 9
    Nutrition Facts, only after a claimORS 616.723(6)(b)(G)
    A nutrient content claim, health claim or other nutrition information ("low sugar", "high protein") means the federal Nutrition Facts panel too.Nutrient Content Claims →
  10. Wedding cakes and single cookiesNo packageFood you can't easily package and sell straight to the buyer, like a wedding cake, gets a receipt or sheet with every label item and a written note that it is homemade. Single items at a market stand need a placard that reads "This product is homemade and is not prepared in an inspected food establishment." with the full label details ready on request.
Oregon at a glance

Sales cap, registration, training and where you sell

Sales cap$52,700 a yearAnnual gross sales. The law sets a $50,000 base that ODA adjusts for inflation every year.ORS 616.723(2)(d)
License or registrationNoneNo application and no ODA registration. You still follow the sanitation rules, and ODA can inspect after a complaint.
TrainingFood handler cardEveryone who prepares the food needs a food handler certificate.ORS 616.723(2)(e)
Where you sellOnline and mailDirect to customers any way you like, including shipping. Retailers only if they display your food separately. Never to restaurants, caterers, schools or other institutions.
Farm Direct labels look differentOther exemptionFarmers who turn their own crops into jam, pickles or juice under the Farm Direct rules print two statements in bold capitals at least 1/8 inch tall: "THIS PRODUCT IS HOMEMADE AND IS NOT PREPARED IN AN INSPECTED FOOD ESTABLISHMENT" and "NOT FOR RESALE". Add product identity, net weight, ingredients with allergens and your full physical address.OAR 603-025-0215 to 0275
Honey in OregonHoney and honey products made with commercial ingredients are on the cottage food list, so the same label applies. ODA also exempts beekeepers who extract honey from their own hives and sell only to consumers, and hobbyists with 20 or fewer hives who extract only their own honey.Honey Labeling Requirements (FDA) →
Selling across state linesODA's number is not a federal address. Products sold into another state follow that state's rules and the federal label rules, which ask for your name and place of business.FDA Food Labeling Requirements →
Sources

Where this comes from

Questions

Oregon label questions

No. If you meet the Cottage Food Exemption, there is no application and no registration with ODA. The only paperwork you can choose is the $25 UIN, if you want a number on your label instead of your home address. Oregon Cottage Food Law →

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