Blaine, MN Home Business: Cottage Food Operations (2026)

Selling homemade food from a Blaine home is controlled primarily by Minnesota state law rather than a city-specific cottage food ordinance. Under the Minnesota Cottage Food Exemption (Minn. Stat. 28A.152), a person who prepares and sells exempt foods must register annually with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). Allowed products are non-potentially-hazardous foods (such as baked goods, candies, and dry mixes) and certain home-processed or home-canned items, like pickles, vegetables, or fruits, with an equilibrium pH of 4.6 or lower or a water activity of 0.85 or less. The statute caps a producer at $78,000 or less in gross receipts per calendar year. Registration is free for sellers at or below the lower sales tier ($7,665 or less per year) and costs $50 above that, and producers must complete training and pass an exam before registering. Products must be labeled with the producer's registration number or address, the date prepared, ingredients and allergens, and the statement that the products are homemade and not subject to state inspection. Sales are made directly to consumers, including from a registered home kitchen. From Blaine's perspective, the food production is treated as a home occupation, so it must also satisfy the city's residential home occupation limits, conducted within the dwelling, no more than 20% of floor area, no exterior storage, and residents-only employment by right. Blaine does not add a separate cottage food license on top of the state registration, but the zoning conditions still apply.