How to label cottage food in Arkansas (2026 guide)

If you sell baked goods from your home in Arkansas, every item you sell has to be labeled correctly. Arkansas's cottage food law — A.C.A. §20-57-201 (Act 1040 of 2021) — is one of the most permissive (“Food Freedom”) laws in the country, but the labeling rules are specific, and getting them wrong means you lose the protection the law gives you.

This guide walks through exactly what goes on a Arkansas cottage food label, gives you a copy-paste template, and covers the edge cases that trip people up. It mirrors our most popular label walkthrough — how to label cottage food in Texas — adapted to Arkansas's rules.

Not legal advice. We're a small apparel brand that cares about home bakers. For anything serious, read the law directly or call Arkansas Department of Health.

What every label must include

Per Arkansas's cottage food labeling rules, every product label must include:

1. Your business name and home address — or a state-issued ID / registration / permit number in place of your address (most home bakers use the ID to keep their home address off every package).
2. A clear notice to the consumer that the food is homemade and not state-inspected (see below).

What Arkansas law actually says

Labels must include the producer's name, address, and phone number (or a state ag department ID number as an alternative), and all required product information. Online listings must display the same labeling information. Acidified foods require a unique batch number on labels.

The 9 federal major allergens you must disclose

• Milk
• Eggs
• Fish
• Shellfish
• Tree nuts
• Peanuts
• Wheat
• Soy
• Sesame (added federally in 2023 — frequently missed)

You don't have to list every ingredient in most states, but you must explicitly name any of these allergens that are present. “May contain” hedging isn't a substitute — if it's in there, name it. Sesame became the 9th federal major allergen in 2023 and is the one most older label templates miss.

The required disclaimer

Arkansas does not mandate one exact sentence, but you must clearly inform the buyer that the food is homemade and has not been inspected by the state. A safe, widely-accepted wording is below — confirm the current requirement with Arkansas Department of Health.

This food was made in a home kitchen that is not inspected by the state or local health department and may contain allergens.

Copy-paste label template

Print it on a sticker, put it on the bag. Adjust the ingredient and allergen lines for each product.

The extra rules worth knowing

Batch numbers for canned / acidified goods

Pickles, jams, fermented items and other acidified or home-canned goods usually need a unique batch number tied to your production records, so a specific lot can be traced in a recall. Plain baked goods generally don't.

Online and social-media listings

If you advertise or take orders online, the same required label information (especially the disclaimer) generally has to appear on your website or listing — not just on the physical package.

Common labeling mistakes to avoid

1. Forgetting sesame as a major allergen (added federally in 2023 — many older templates list only 8).
2. Using “may contain” when the product actually contains the allergen. Name it if it's present.
3. Leaving off the required disclaimer because you printed small business-card-style labels. The disclaimer is non-negotiable.
4. Handing out unlabeled samples. If you're giving a free taste at a market, the rules still apply.
5. Using a P.O. Box where Arkansas requires a physical address (or use your state-issued ID number instead where allowed).

Quick checklist before you print

• Product common name (not just a brand name)
• Business name on label
• Address or state ID number on label
• All 9 major allergens disclosed if present (including sesame)
• Required disclaimer statement, verbatim
• Packaging prevents contamination

Official sources

• Arkansas Department of Health
• Statute: A.C.A. §20-57-201 (Act 1040 of 2021)
• State extension guidance
• Forrager — Arkansas
• Crosodo Arkansas state guide

For the full breakdown of Arkansas's rules — sales cap, registration, county zoning — see the Crosodo Arkansas state guide. If your Arkansas county is missing from our directory, tell us and we'll add it next.