Minnesota Women Challenge "Cottage Food" Regulations

Cannot be sold from home or from a food stand

A cookie baked at home and sold at a farmer's market in Minnesota is a legal cookie.

That same cookie, sold at a food stand or via an order placed on the Internet, is a violation of state law.

Two Minnesota women are challenging a series of state regulations on where and how baked goods and other so-called "cottage foods" — food products produced at home and offered for sale. Under the provisions of the law, such foods can only be sold at farmer's markets and events like county fairs, but may not be sold from the home, from a food stand or other business like a local grocery store.