Idaho Cottage Food Label Requirements

The required label statement

This product is not subject to government food safety inspection or licensing requirements. It may contain allergens.

Idaho Code §37-205(3)(b)(i): the notice must "State:" the two sentences above, verbatim. It may appear on a conspicuously displayed sign, on a label affixed to the food product, or on a card given to the informed end consumer — the label is one of three permitted vehicles. No type size, contrast or placement rule.

What must be on your label

• The statement "This product is not subject to government food safety inspection or licensing requirements. It may contain allergens." (Idaho Code §37-205(3)(b)(i))
• Name and contact information of the producer (§37-205(3)(b)(ii))
• A list of ingredients used in the product if the product contains two or more ingredients (§37-205(3)(b)(iii))
• Perishable (TCS) food only: handling instructions sufficient to inform the consumer of safe storage and preparation (§37-205(4)(b))
• Alternative to a label: the same notice on a conspicuously displayed sign or a card given to the consumer (§37-205(3)(b))
• Not required by the Act: product name, net quantity, date, address — federal rules may still apply (§37-204(3)(a) keeps weights-and-measures and branding law in force)

Example: an Idaho label for a bag of butter cookies

An illustrative worksheet with the lines Idaho requires, and placeholders for your own details. It is not an approved product label or a tested recipe. Replace the ingredients and the measured package quantity with your actual product information.

The example ingredient order follows the input weights in our butter-cookie recipe. It does not establish the weight of a finished bag. Any additions or supplier sub-ingredients must be reflected in your own label. The statement's size on this web page is not a print-size check; compare the printed label with the rule above.

Before you print

1. Match every ingredient and sub-ingredient to your actual recipe and supplier labels.
2. Check the allergen declaration, the filled package's net quantity, and producer details.
3. Include the Idaho statement and check its size on the final printed label.
4. Review the whole package, including any required information placed outside the Nutrition Facts panel.

Idaho cottage food label questions

Does an Idaho cottage food label need a home-kitchen statement?

Yes. The label must say "This product is not subject to government food safety inspection or licensing requirements. It may contain allergens.". Idaho Code §37-205(3)(b)(i): the notice must "State:" the two sentences above, verbatim. It may appear on a conspicuously displayed sign, on a label affixed to the food product, or on a card given to the informed end consumer — the label is one of three permitted vehicles. No type size, contrast or placement rule.

Do I need a license or registration to sell cottage food in Idaho?

No. No license, permit, registration, routine inspection or training. Producers must become familiar with the Department of Health and Welfare's educational material (§37-206) and keep transaction records (type and quantity, sale date, production date, where produced, ingredient sources) for at least two years; records are confidential and reviewed only in a confirmed foodborne-illness investigation (§37-208). State agencies and local governments may not impose stricter licensing, permitting, inspection, packaging or labeling rules (§37-204(2)).

Is there a sales limit for Idaho cottage food?

No annual cap is set: none — the Act sets no annual sales cap (§37-205(1) allows sales "to the fullest extent permitted by applicable state and federal law"; argument from silence).

Where can I sell cottage food in Idaho?

Producer or a named designated agent (person, cooperative market, consignment-model market) to an informed end consumer; farm stands, farms, ranches and producers' homes; all production, sale and delivery entirely within Idaho — no interstate sales (§37-205(2)). Retail spaces selling Act products must physically separate and sign them (§37-205(5)). Products may not be used as ingredients by food establishments (§37-204(3)(d)). Meat sales limited to listed exceptions (poultry ≤1,000 birds, rabbit, farm-raised non-catfish fish, USDA-inspected red meat, animal shares).

Does an Idaho cottage food label need a Nutrition Facts panel?

Not by state cottage-food law unless a nutrient content or health claim is made; the federal small-business exemption usually applies. If you choose to print a panel, it has to be complete and correctly formatted.