Chesterfield sets no separate cottage food rule; Virginia's home food exemption governs. Under Virginia Code Section 3.2-5130, low-risk foods such as candies, jams, baked goods, and dried mixes may be sold directly to consumers without a state inspection if properly labeled.
Home food processing is regulated by the state, not the county. Virginia Code Section 3.2-5130 exempts specified low-risk foods (candies, jams and jellies, baked goods, dried fruits and herbs, roasted coffee, granola, dry mixes, and similar items) from inspection when made at home and sold directly to an individual in Virginia for personal consumption, not for resale. Products must be labeled with the preparer's name, address, and phone, the processing date, and the statement that they were processed and prepared without state inspection. Acidified pickled vegetables carry a $9,000 annual gross-sales cap under a related exemption.
Selling non-exempt or mislabeled foods, or selling for resale in retail establishments, falls outside the exemption and is subject to Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services enforcement.
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