Selling dried sourdough starter in South Dakota
What South Dakota official sources actually say about selling dried sourdough starter under cottage food law — not named — general non-tcs path — confirm. Last verified 2026-10-15.
If you keep a jar going in South Dakota, selling dried sourdough starter is a different cottage-food question than selling bread. The product is flour and water that you fermented, then dried. Official pages almost never use the words “dried starter.” This post only repeats what the current statute, agency page, or extension guide actually says — and where that source is silent.
Dried starter is not automatically a baked good
A loaf is baked. Dried starter is a dry culture. Some states publish a closed allowed-foods list (baked goods, jams, dried herbs). Some allow non-TCS / non-potentially-hazardous foods as a class. A few name baking mixes, dry mixtures, or — in Kansas — dehydrated sourdough starter. We do not stretch a baked-goods line into a dry-culture line unless a source supports that read.
The quick facts
- Law
- South Dakota Codified Laws, Title 34 – Public Health and Safety, Chapter 18 – Health Regulation of Lodging and Food Service Establishments and Campgrounds, Section 34-18-35 (Sale of Homemade Foods and Food Products)
- Statute
- SDCL §34-18-35
- Agency
- South Dakota Department of Health
- Dried-starter read
- Not named — general non-TCS path — confirm
- Annual sales cap
- No annual sales cap published in the statute row
- Registration / permit
- Registration required (statute row): No.
- Kitchen inspection
- Kitchen inspection (statute row): No.
- Food-handler training
- Food-handler training (statute row): Recommended.
- Last verified
- 2026-10-15
Where in-state sales usually go
Sales cap, registration, allowed foods, and every county — free on Crosodo.
From the Crosodo statute row: The statute does not restrict sales to direct-to-consumer channels only. Items are subject to sales tax. Local governments (counties, townships, municipalities) may not pass ordinances restricting, prohibiting, or imposing licensure on homemade food item sales under SDCL §34-18-1 definitions.
County zoning, market manager rules, and home-occupation permits still apply on top of the state food rule. Start with the South Dakota state guide and your county page.
Labeling
No specific labeling requirements are mandated in the core cottage food statute. However, for certain home-canned goods processed under §34-18-36, labeling may be required. Standard FDA labeling recommendations apply as best practices. Sales are subject to applicable sales tax.
Walk the fields in the South Dakota cottage food labeling guide. Do not copy another state's disclaimer.
Interstate / shipping across state lines
Cottage-food / homemade-food exemptions are in-state instruments. They do not, by themselves, authorize interstate commerce. Confirm manufactured-food licensing with the state agency and FDA facility registration for your facts. We do not invent a permit name or a fee.
Cottage-food exemptions are state instruments. They do not replace federal rules that apply when food enters interstate commerce. If you want to ship out of state, ask the state manufactured-food program and confirm FDA facility registration for your situation. We do not invent a license name or a fee here.
Official sources
Every number and product claim on this page is tied to a source opened on 2026-10-15, plus the Crosodo statute row and — where we have them — the regulations library notes for Maryland, Colorado, and Virginia.
- South Dakota DOH cottage foods — last verified 2026-10-15
- SDCL §34-18-35
- South Dakota Department of Health
- South Dakota extension
- South Dakota cottage food state guide
- Selling cottage food in South Dakota
- South Dakota labeling guide
- All 50 states — dried starter hub
South Dakota dried starter FAQ
Can I sell dried sourdough starter in South Dakota?
South Dakota cottage foods cover foods that do not need temperature control. Statute examples include home-ground flour and baking mixes. Dried starter is not named. Confirm with the South Dakota Department of Health.
What is the South Dakota cottage-food sales cap?
No annual sales cap published in the statute row
Can I ship dried sourdough starter out of South Dakota under cottage food law?
Cottage-food / homemade-food exemptions are in-state instruments. They do not, by themselves, authorize interstate commerce. Confirm manufactured-food licensing with the state agency and FDA facility registration for your facts. We do not invent a permit name or a fee.
Crosodo Journal entries are recipe, craft, and cottage-food notes for home bakers. Recipes assume an active starter and basic equipment. Cottage food sales are governed by your state's law — start with the free state directory, check a product with Can I sell this?, or grab a label template. Not legal advice.
