Farmer's Markets and Cottage Food Businesses

​Content and forms on this page are intended for citizens and businesses of Queen Anne's County, Maryland. Contact information for other counties can be found at the following web address: https://health.maryland.gov/Pages/departments.aspx

A farmer's market is where a person offers or sells one or more of the following food products directly to the public

  • Raw agricultural products;
  • Cottage Foods produced in accordance with COMAR 10.15.03.27;
  • Foods that are non-potentially hazardous, do not require refrigeration and are processed in a licensed food processing plant and operated according to COMAR 10.15.04.19;
  • Eggs offered in compliance with Maryland Department of Agriculture regulations;
  • Commercially processed non-potentially hazardous pre-packaged and bottle products

Vendors who wish to offer food products (other than flowers or herbs) at a local Farmer's Market must submit an application at least two weeks prior to participating in the market.

Home-made foods made in a private home kitchen that are non-potentially hazardous* may fall into the cottage food category. A "cottage food product" is a non-hazardous food that may be sold at a farmer's market or public event.

"Non-potentially hazardous food" includes jam, jellies, candy, dried mixes and other such food that do not meet the definition of potentially hazardous food.

"Potentially hazardous food" means any food that consists in whole or in part of milk or milk products, eggs, meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, edible crustaceans, or other ingredients which is in a form capable of supporting rapid and progressive growth of infectious or toxigenic microorganisms, home-canned foods other than jams and jellies, or any food that required temperature control for safety.

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