The Northeast Farmers Market, 629 2nd St. NE, filled with vendors and shoppers. As the weather warms, markets will service more people and more cottage food vendors are likely to sell their goods to patrons. (Davis Steen)
While out at farmers’ markets this summer, you may buy food from one of the over 14,000 active registered cottage food producers in Minnesota.
This is a designation given out by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) that allows certain food to be sold at different locations.
“Obtaining the license itself was pretty easy,” Luke Reiggins said. “The Department of Agriculture does a really good job of laying out what to expect, how to go through the process, even where to apply.”
Reiggins, a Northeast resident, is the owner and baker of BinBin Bakery, a company that received its cottage food registration in March 2026. The bakery specializes in cookies, offering a Jack’s Chocolate Chip cookie and a Brown Butter Cornflake & Marshmallow with Chocolate Chips cookie.
This industry took shape in 2015 when the laws first went in place in Minnesota, starting with only 464 registrants by the end of that year. It has grown significantly since.
Any food made with the cottage food production designation in Minnesota need to indicate the allergens possible, since most items are made in kitchens that also prepare personal food. (Davis Steen)
Don’t get a license
Cottage food registration is a way for people to sell their food when they don’t have a brick-and-mortar location. Despite everything on the MDA’s website, this isn’t a license.
“I tell them that even though with the online test, we’re going to click on the word ‘license,’ it’s not a license,” Kathy Zeman said. “But it’s literally an exemption from licensing.”
Zeman is the executive director of the Minnesota Farmers’ Market Association (MFMA), an organization that provides services, programs and leadership that support and promote farmers’ markets across Minnesota.
“The mantra is, if you sell food, assume you need a license,” Zeman said. “Except if you meet one of the 50-some exemptions or exclusions from licensing.”
Other responsibilities of those with this registration include: They need to be present at the point of sale — no shipping; all products must be sold from a private home, farmers’ market or community event; and you can only make $78,000 per registered cottage food producer per year.
“But that takes a heck of a kitchen, right?” Zeman joked. Her work with MFMA is to make these rules for production more accessible, especially to vendors with a language barrier or who don’t have the time to keep up with the laws.
“I teach the cottage food law three times every month by Zoom and sometimes in the evening, sometimes during the day and then on weekends,” Zeman said. “Catch people where they’re at.”
With cookies being the main product for BinBin Bakery, Reiggins knew the cottage food production registration route was the best for him and his business, at least at first.
“So, my next big future moves are getting the farmers’ market license,” Reiggins said.
Dave Colling, right, the owner and main maker for Rouge Smoked Foods, talks with potential customers at the Northeast Farmers Market on Saturday, May 23. (Davis Steen)
Selling at the market
Kathy Zeman and MFMA have helped many of the vendors in Minnesota get their cottage food production registration so they can sell at farmers’ markets in Minnesota.
“Why did MFMA kind of take ownership of this?” Zeman asked “Because they’re all going to sell at farmers’ markets, right?”
MDA estimated that there was nearly $184 million in economic activity in local and regional markets in 2017, only two years after this law went into effect. Much of this activity was between consumer of cottage food produced items.
“I help them make sure that they’re legal and make sure that they are food safe so that we never have to worry about an outbreak in any farmers’ market ever,” Zeman said.
According to Zeman, there has never been a foodborne illness outbreak at farmers’ markets in the state of Minnesota. The cottage food training is largely to thank for this.
“You still have to have insurance,” Dave Colling said while manning his stand for Rouge Smoked Foods at the Northeast Farmers Market on Saturday, May 23. “Most of us here at the Farmers Market get that through the (Minnesota) Farmers’ Market Association.”
Colling sells smoked pecans and smoked watermelon jerky. Like many vendors at farmers’ markets, he makes most of the products in his home.
“I actually have a smoker that I built out of an old 1940s General Electric refrigerator,” Colling said. “So, it’s a big metal insulated box.”
Colling has had his cottage food production registration since 2019. Reiggins only started his in 2026, but they share the commonality of producing the food in whatever way they can. “I only have the oven that I have.”
Change is coming
to the cottage
The rules for cottage food production will change on August 1, 2027. Currently there are two tiers for how much money and training is needed: A free tier and a paid. Those will fold into just one.
“Everybody will now pay the MDA $30 every year to register,” Zeman said. “I think that’s an affordable fee, and MDA needs the money in order to administer this program the way they should and need to.”
These changes will require everyone attaining their cottage food production registration to go through advanced training. The rule requiring the maker’s presence will be lifted, making shipping possible.
Zeman is excited for the advanced training to be required for all cottage food producers. “It is critical that they have the training to be legal and food safe.”
Markets as an
economic driver
According to the Farmers Market Coalition, farmers’ markets are the only low-barrier entry points for farmers under 35, who are outnumbered 3.5-to-1 by those over 65.
Low-income consumers have been using farmers’ markets more often, too. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) users at these generally weekly sales have gone up by 162% since 2017.
“When the people in Hennepin County go to their farmers’ markets or go directly to a registered food producer, what they’re doing is investing in their community,” Zeman said. “This is economic development.”
As for Reiggins and BinBin Bakery, he hopes to affect his community in the same way as he continues to work with his cottage food prepared cookies.
“I’ve always had a passion for cooking and always had a passion for just giving out my food and just bringing in some treats.”
The makers and markets
Luke Reiggins and BinBin Bakery are online at https://www.
binbinbakerymn.com/, with links available for ordering and contact.
The Minnesota Farmers’ Market Association can be found at https://www.mfma.org/ along with information on the cottage food production process.
Dave Colling and Rouge Smoked Foods are online at https://www.rougesmokedfoods.com/, as well as at the Northeast Farmers Market.