Skip to main content
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
  • Business Dev, Loans, Grants
      1. Business & Marketing
        1. Corporate Farm Information
        2. Food Business Development
        3. Exporting & International Trade
        4. Economic Analysis & Market Research
        5. Local & Regional Markets
      2. Resources for Farmers
        1. Beginning Farmer Tax Credit
        2. Emerging Farmers
        3. Farm Advocates
        4. Farmer Stress
        5. Farm, Property, Real Estate Listing (MN FarmLink)
      3. Disaster & Cleanup Assistance
        1. Agriculture Chemical Response & Reimbursement Account
        2. Compensation Claim for Crops Destroyed by Elk - Instructions
        3. Elk Damage Compensation
        4. Wolf Depredation
      4. Animals & Livestock
        1. Livestock Dealer Licensing
        2. Livestock Resources
        3. Avian Influenza
      5. Loans
        1. VIEW ALL Loans & Funding
        2. Disaster Recovery Loan
        3. Aggie Bond Loan
        4. Agricultural Best Management Practices (AgBMP) Loan
        5. Beginning Farmer Loan
        6. Farm Opportunity Loan
        7. Rural Finance Authority
        8. Loan Comparison Chart
      6. Grants
        1. VIEW ALL Grants & Funding
        2. Beginning Farmer Equipment and Infrastructure Grant
        3. Local Food Purchase Assistance
        4. Down Payment Assistance Grant
        5. Agricultural Growth, Research & Innovation (AGRI) Program
        6. Value-Added (AGRI)
        7. Specialty Crop
        8. Livestock Investment (AGRI)
        9. Soil Health Equipment
      7. More Business Development, Loans, Grants Topics
  • Environment, Sustainability
      1. Conservation
        1. Minnesota Ag Water Quality Certification Program
        2. Best Management Practices
      2. Organic Agriculture
        1. Organic Agriculture
        2. Minnesota Organic Conference
      3. Renewable Energy
        1. Governor's Council on Biofuels
        2. Biodiesel
        3. Ethanol
        4. Manure Digesters
        5. AGRI Bioincentive Program
        6. AGRI Biofuels Infrastructure Grant
      4. Water Protection
        1. Clean Water Fund Activities
        2. Minnesota Ag Water Quality Certification Program
        3. Water Monitoring Programs
        4. Nitrate in SE MN
      5. Farmland Protection
        1. Farmland Protection
        2. PFAS
        3. PFAS and Ag
        4. Products with Added PFAS
      6. Climate Change
        1. Agriculture in a Changing Climate
      7. More Environment, Sustainability Topics
  • Pesticide, Fertilizer
      1. Pesticides
        1. VIEW ALL Specific Pesticides
        2. Pesticide Overview
        3. Apply, Register, Store, Sell
        4. Pesticide Use & Sales Data
        5. Monitoring Pesticides in Water
        6. Regulation, Inspection & Enforcement
        7. Dicamba
        8. Integrated Pest Management
      2. Fertilizers
        1. Fertilizer Overview
        2. Apply, Register, Store, Sell
        3. Fertilizer Use & Sales Data
        4. Monitoring Nitrate in Water
        5. Ag Lime
        6. Anhydrous Ammonia Program
        7. Certified Testing Laboratories (soil & manure)
        8. Fertilizer Practices
      3. Best Management Practices
        1. Nitrogen Fertilizer BMPs
        2. Pest Control without Pesticide BMPs
        3. Pesticide BMPs
        4. Pollinator Habitat BMPs
        5. Turfgrass BMPs
      4. Safety & Cleanup
        1. Spills & Cleanup
        2. Waste Pesticide Disposal
        3. Pesticide Container Recycling
        4. Health & Safety
      5. File a Misuse Complaint
        1. Pesticide & Fertilizer Complaints
      6. Registered Product Search
        1. Find Pesticide, Fertilizer Products
      7. Licensing & Registration
        1. Search Licenses
        2. License Lookup
        3. Fertilizer Tonnage Reporting & Inspection Fees
        4. Pesticide Dealer Licensing & Sales Reporting
      8. Clean Water Fund Activities
        1. Clean Water Fund Activities
      9. More Pesticide & Fertilizer Topics
  • Food, Feed
      1. Feed & Pet Food Business Info
        1. Certificate of Free Sale
        2. GMP Certificate Request
      2. Food & Feed Safety
        1. VIEW ALL Food Safety
        2. Secure Milk Supply Program
        3. Food Ingredients/Allergens
        4. Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)
        5. Drug Residue Prevention
      3. Resources for New Food Businesses
        1. How to Start a Food Business
        2. Licensing Liaison Request
        3. Food Licenses
        4. Meat & Poultry Processing
        5. Wild Game Processing
      4. Selling Food & Feed
        1. Meat, Poultry & Eggs
        2. Dairy & Milk
        3. Labeling Requirements
        4. Minnesota Grown
        5. Cottage Food
        6. Venison Donation
        7. Hemp in Food
      5. Recalls & Complaints
        1. Report a Complaint
        2. Recent Recall Notifications
        3. MN Rapid Response Team
      6. Food & Feed Inspection Programs
        1. Retail Food Program
        2. Retail Food Plan Review
        3. Manufactured Food Inspection Program
        4. Produce Safety Program
        5. Commercial Feed & Pet Food
      7. More Food, Feed Topics
  • Plants, Insects
      1. Insect Pests & Diseases
        1. VIEW ALL Insect Pests & Diseases
        2. Report a Plant, Pest or Disease
        3. Emerald Ash Borer
        4. Spongy Moth
        5. Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
        6. Japanese Beetle
        7. Swede Midge
        8. Velvet Longhorned Beetle
        9. Bacterial Wilt and Canker of Tomato
        10. Potato Cyst Nematode
        11. Red Star Rust
      2. Pest Management
        1. Pest Regulations
        2. Biological Control of Emerald Ash Borer
        3. Pest Surveys
        4. Smarty Plants
        5. Research
      3. Plants
        1. Industrial Hemp
        2. Nursery
        3. Cold Hardiness List
        4. Noxious & Invasive Weeds
        5. Grain Licensing Program
        6. Palmer Amaranth
        7. Noxious Weed Grant
        8. Seed Program
      4. Beneficial Insects
        1. Pollinators
      5. Licensing
        1. VIEW ALL Licensing
        2. Grain Buy & Store
        3. Plants, Trees & Seed
        4. Firewood
      6. More PLANTS, INSECTS topics
  • Licensing & Inspections
      1. License Services
        1. Licensing and Renewal
        2. Apply for a License
        3. Renew with a PIN
        4. Pay an Invoice
        5. Search for a License Holder
        6. Payment Options
      2. File a Report
        1. Pesticide Sales Report
        2. Shell Egg Annual Report
      3. Learn, Apply, Renew or Train
        1. VIEW ALL Licenses
        2. Crops
        3. Dairy, Milk
        4. Feed, Pet Food
        5. Fertilizers, Pesticides & Chemicals
        6. Food – Cottage, Retail, Wholesale
        7. Livestock
        8. Meat, Poultry, Eggs
        9. Plants, Trees & Seed
        10. Produce, Fruits, Vegetables, Grain
        11. Other
      4. View all Licensing & Inspections

Search

Inspectors may be present at venues like farmers’ markets and community events to verify registration and that food is being sold in a manner consistent with Minnesota laws. In addition, if food sold by a cottage food producer is suspected or confirmed to have caused illness or injury, the MDA will conduct an investigation which may include an inspection of the location where the food was produced. Under Minnesota law, the MDA has the authority to enter at reasonable times any establishment where food is manufactured, processed, packed, or held. Inspection and investigation activities would be limited to areas of the location where food is manufactured, processed, packed, or held.

Will I be inspected if I'm registered to sell cottage foods?

Inspectors may be present at venues like farmers’ markets and community events to verify registration and that food is being sold in a manner consistent with Minnesota laws. In addition, if food sold by a cottage food producer is suspected or confirmed to have caused illness or injury, the MDA will conduct an investigation which may include an inspection of the location where the food was produced. Under Minnesota law, the MDA has the authority to enter at reasonable times any establishment where food is manufactured, processed, packed, or held. Inspection and investigation activities would be limited to areas of the location where food is manufactured, processed, packed, or held.

No

The MDA investigates complaints to ensure people selling cottage food are complying with the law, including all the topics covered in this guidance document: registration, training, sales amounts, sales locations, food types, labeling, and placarding. Actions depend on the severity of the violation and may include inspection, written notice, penalties, or prosecution.

What happens if the MDA receives a complaint about a cottage food producer?

The MDA investigates complaints to ensure people selling cottage food are complying with the law, including all the topics covered in this guidance document: registration, training, sales amounts, sales locations, food types, labeling, and placarding. Actions depend on the severity of the violation and may include inspection, written notice, penalties, or prosecution.

No

Inspectors may be present at venues like farmers’ markets and community events to verify registration and that food is being sold in a manner consistent with Minnesota laws. In addition, if food sold by a cottage food producer is suspected or confirmed to have caused illness or injury, the MDA will conduct an investigation which may include an inspection of the location where the food was produced. Under Minnesota law, the MDA has the authority to enter at reasonable times any establishment where food is manufactured, processed, packed, or held. Inspection and investigation activities would be limited to areas of the location where food is manufactured, processed, packed, or held.

The MDA investigates complaints to ensure people selling cottage food are complying with the law, including all the topics covered in this guidance document: registration, training, sales amounts, sales locations, food types, labeling, and placarding. Actions depend on the severity of the violation and may include inspection, written notice, penalties, or prosecution.

Other

Magenta sign: These canned goods are homemade and not subject to state inspection

For more information on these signs, see the Labeling, Signage, and Packaging section above.

Example of a sign to display for non-potentially hazardous foods:

Magenta sign: These canned goods are homemade and not subject to state inspection

For more information on these signs, see the Labeling, Signage, and Packaging section above.

No

Green sign: These products are homemade and not subject to state inspection

For more information on these signs, see the Labeling, Signage, and Packaging section above.

Example of a sign to display for canned products:

Green sign: These products are homemade and not subject to state inspection

For more information on these signs, see the Labeling, Signage, and Packaging section above.

No

Pagination

  • First page « First
  • Previous page ‹ Previous
  • Page 1770
  • Page 1771
  • Page 1772
  • Page 1773
  • Current page 1774
  • Page 1775
  • Page 1776
  • Page 1777
  • Page 1778
  • Next page Next ›
  • Last page Last »
Follow us
Like Us
Email Updates
View Videos

Contact the MDA

625 Robert Street North
Saint Paul, MN 55155-2538

Phone: 651-201-6000
Toll Free: 800-967-2474
711 TTY

Ask MDA

Resources

  • Ag in the Classroom
  • Accessibility/Web Policies
  • Careers, Human Resources
  • Data Requests
  • Download Adobe Reader
  • Non-Discrimination Plan
  • ~ Txoj Kev Npaj Tsis Sib Haum Xeeb
  • ~ Qorshaha takoor la'aanta
  • ~ Plan de no discriminación
  • Visitors & Parking

About

  • Commissioner's Office
  • Communications/Media
  • Events
  • Government Relations
  • MDA Agency Overview
  • Staff Directory
  • Tribal Relations
Enter the terms you wish to search for.
mn register to vote

 

© Copyright 2025 Minnesota Department of Agriculture