How to label cottage food in Minnesota (2026 guide)

If you sell baked goods from your home in Minnesota, every item you sell has to be labeled correctly. Minnesota's cottage food law — Minn. Stat. §28A.152 — is a strong, baker-friendly law, 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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota'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 Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

What every label must include

Per Minnesota'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. An ingredient list in descending order by weight (major allergens called out).
3. The production date (date the food was made).
4. Allergen disclosure for any of the 9 federal major allergens present.
5. The state's required disclaimer statement, verbatim (exact wording below).

What Minnesota law actually says

Labels must accurately reflect: the name and registration number or address of the producer; the date on which the food was prepared; ingredients and any possible allergens; and the statement 'These products are homemade and not subject to state inspection.' At farmers markets and community events, a visible placard with the same statement must be displayed. Online sellers must display the statement on their website. Registration number may substitute for home address.

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

Minnesota requires this statement, word for word, on the label or a point-of-sale sign:

These products are homemade and not subject to state inspection.

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

Point-of-sale signs at markets

Minnesota lets you (or requires you to) post a placard/sign with the disclaimer at farmers markets and events in addition to — or sometimes instead of — labeling each package. Keep a printed sign in your booth kit so you're always covered.

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 Minnesota 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
• Production date included where required
• Packaging prevents contamination

Official sources

• Minnesota Department of Agriculture
• Statute: Minn. Stat. §28A.152
• State extension guidance
• Forrager — Minnesota
• Crosodo Minnesota state guide

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