2026 reference
Mississippi Cottage Food Law
Mississippi's cottage food law sets an annual revenue cap of $35,000 and no state permit or registration is required. In-person sales directly from the producer to the consumer, inside Mississippi. Miss. Code § 75-29-951(2) bars selling over the Internet, by mail order, at wholesale, or to a retail establishment; advertising online, including on social media, is allowed. MSDH adds that the sale must be person to person with the producer present, that consignment in stores or restaurants is not allowed, that cottage food may not be sold with or associated with a regulated food business, and that cottage food may be sold only in Mississippi. The statute does not limit where the in-person sale happens, so a farmers market or event works if the venue allows it.
Watch for: The Internet is for advertising only. Miss. Code § 75-29-951(2) bars sales over the Internet or by mail order, so the sale itself has to happen in person, inside Mississippi. The $35,000 cap counts all cottage food sales at every location. Pickles and other acidified foods are allowed, but MSDH strongly encourages lab analysis (Mississippi State University offers it) because improper acidification can cause botulism. Several 2026 bills to raise or remove the cap and allow online sales, including HB 910, which passed the House, died in committee, so the current rules still apply.
Key facts
Where you can sell
In-person sales directly from the producer to the consumer, inside Mississippi. Miss. Code § 75-29-951(2) bars selling over the Internet, by mail order, at wholesale, or to a retail establishment; advertising online, including on social media, is allowed. MSDH adds that the sale must be person to person with the producer present, that consignment in stores or restaurants is not allowed, that cottage food may not be sold with or associated with a regulated food business, and that cottage food may be sold only in Mississippi. The statute does not limit where the in-person sale happens, so a farmers market or event works if the venue allows it.
- Direct (in-person)
- Farmers markets
What's required before your first sale
No state permit, registration, or fee: an operation that follows Miss. Code § 75-29-951 and has no more than $35,000 in annual gross sales is exempt from the food permit required by § 41-3-18. Gross sales count every cottage food sale at every location, and MSDH may ask for written records to verify them (§ 75-29-951(1)(b)). No training is required, though MSDH "highly encourages" food safety training, especially for acidified or pickled products. MSDH inspects only after a complaint (§ 75-29-951(5)). Products must be made in the kitchen of your home, not an outbuilding or a rented kitchen. Check with your city, or county outside city limits, about a business license.
Allowed and excluded foods
Permitted under cottage food
- baked goods without cream, custard, or meat fillings, such as breads, biscuits, cookies, pastries, and tortillas
- candy
- chocolate-covered nonperishable foods such as pretzels, nuts, and fruit (except melons), including whole uncut fruit dipped in chocolate or a candy coating, sold without a stick inserted
- dried fruit (except melons)
- dried pasta
- dried spices and dry rubs
- dry baking mixes
- granola, cereal, and trail mixes
- fruit pies
- jams, jellies, and preserves meeting the standard in 21 CFR Part 150
- nut mixes
- popcorn
- vinegar and mustard
- waffle cones
- acidified plant-based foods meeting 21 CFR Part 114 (finished equilibrium pH 4.6 or below)
Excluded from cottage food
- meat, fish, and poultry, including smoked fish
- dairy products, including custard pies
- eggs, other than air-dried hard-cooked eggs with the shell intact
- cooked vegetables, cooked potatoes, legumes, beans, and rice
- raw seed sprouts and sliced melons
- garlic and other fresh herbs in oil
- nut butters
- beverages and other liquid foods, including fruit and vegetable juices
- low-acid canned foods, and canned fruits and vegetables that are not acidified
- pasteurized and pre-cooked foods
- jams and jellies made with sugar substitutes (sugar-free or reduced-sugar)
Label requirements
- Products must be sold prepackaged with the label affixed (Miss. Code § 75-29-951(3))
- Name and address of the cottage food operation
- Name of the cottage food product
- Ingredients in descending order of predominance by weight (MSDH: name the specific tree nut, such as almonds, not just "nuts")
- Net weight or net volume of the product
- Allergen information as specified by federal labeling requirements
- If a nutritional claim is made, nutritional information per federal labeling requirements
- Verbatim disclosure required by Miss. Code § 75-29-951(3)(g), in at least 10-point type in a color that provides a clear contrast to the background of the label: "Made in a cottage food operation that is not subject to Mississippi's food safety regulations." (the statute uses lowercase "cottage food"; MSDH's FAQ capitalizes it)
Generate your Mississippi disclosure label in one click
Ardent Seller assembles a print-ready cottage food label for Mississippi from data you already track — the state's required disclosure statement rendered verbatim (and sized to meet the state's minimum type size where one applies), your operator info, ingredients in descending order by weight, the federal "Contains:" allergen line, net weight, and lot code. A validation checklist flags anything Mississippi requires that's missing before you print. Included on every plan.
Sources
- Mississippi State Department of Health — Cottage Foods
- Mississippi State Department of Health — Cottage Food Operation: Frequently Asked Questions (revised September 2023)
- Forrager — cottage food law database
- Miss. Code Ann. § 75-29-951 (Regulation of cottage food operations)
- Mississippi HB 910 (2026) — would have removed the cap and allowed online and mail-order sales; passed the House, died in Senate committee March 3, 2026
Reference content only — not legal advice. State laws change frequently. Verify against the official source before launching.
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