Cottage Food Product Review Request Form

Act 42 (2025) changes the requirements for claiming a licensing exemption for certain types of small food processors. On July 1, the Health Department adopted the Manufactured Food Emergency Rule to align with Act 42 (2025). Food manufacturing establishments are required to immediately comply with the Emergency Rule while the Department conducts rulemaking to adopt a permanent rule.

Act 42 (2025) provides a licensing exemption for cottage food operators that:

produce or package cottage food products solely in the home kitchen of their private residential dwelling or in a kitchen on their personal property, and

have annual gross receipts of $30,000.00 or less from the sale of cottage food products.

This is a request form to submit information to the Vermont Department of Health's Food & Lodging Program for review of your manufactured food product for compliance with the definition of "Cottage Food" in Act 42 (2025). This is not an application for a Cottage Food exemption.

It is the manufacturer’s responsibility to ensure the food product meets the definition of "cottage food product.” If you are not sure if your product qualifies, you can request that the Health Department review your product by completing this form to have certainty that your product is a qualifying cottage food product.

Cottage food products are defined in law as foods sold by a cottage food operator that do not require refrigeration or time/temperature control for safety, including:

non-potentially hazardous baked goods
candy
jams and jellies
dry herbs
trail mix
granola
cereal
mixed nuts
flavored vinegar
popcorn
coffee beans
dry tea
home-canned pickles, vegetables, or fruits with an equilibrium pH value of 4.6 or lower or a water activity value of 0.85 or less that are made using recipes approved by the National Center for Home Food Preservation or reviewed by a food processing authority for safety

This is not a complete list of products that meet the definition. You do not need to seek approval from the Health Department for foods that meet the definition of “cottage food product” above, even if the product is not included in the list.

Please answer the questions completely for a review to be completed. Insufficient information will delay the review process.

1. Cottage Food Operator Contact Information *This question is required.

First Name

Last Name

Street Address

City

State

Zip

Email Address

Phone Number

2. Name of Cottage Food Operation (Doing Business As): *This question is required.

Please describe the food product that you are requesting review of to determine if it meets the definition of "cottage food product" under the law. Please submit a separate form request for each food requesting review.

3. Name of food: *This question is required.

4. List of all ingredients: *This question is required.

5. Describe how the food is made (for example, steps for preparation, cooking, and storing): *This question is required.

6. Describe how the food is packaged (for example, what type of container, what material is the packaging?): *This question is required.