SB160 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Arthur OrrSenator

Republican

Co-Sponsor

Jim McClendon

Session

Regular Session 2021

Title

Cottage food production operations, allow online sales, remove gross receipts cap, require certain nutrition information to be included on product labels, Sec. 22-20-5.1 am'd.

Summary

SB160 updates Alabama's cottage food rules by defining cottage foods and operations, setting direct-to-consumer sale rules within the state, imposing a $20,000 annual gross income cap for cottage operations, and requiring specific labeling and safety requirements.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, cottage food production operations that meet the definitions can sell baked goods, jams/jellies, candies, and dried herb products directly to consumers in Alabama. Internet sales are prohibited, and operations must stay within the $20,000 annual gross income cap to be considered cottage operations. Operators must complete a department-approved food safety course and label each product with the required information (name, operator contact, ingredients, allergens, and a not-inspected disclaimer). The state health department can issue stop-sale orders if a product is suspected of causing illness, and the department will set labeling rules. A cottage food operation is not treated as a food service establishment and does not require a standard food service permit.

Who It Affects

• Home-based cottage food producers in Alabama that sell eligible foods and have annual gross sales of $20,000 or less; they must follow labeling, safety training, and sales-channel rules.
• Consumers in Alabama who buy cottage foods directly from these home-based producers in-state; they will receive labeled products with ingredient and allergen information and the not-inspected disclaimer.

Key Provisions

• Defines baked goods, cottage foods, cottage food production operations, the Department of Public Health, and a home as used in the bill.
• Cottage food production operation is not a food service establishment and does not require a county health department food service permit.
• Sells foods produced under the cottage rules directly to consumers in-state, with direct channels including in-person or by phone; Internet sales are prohibited (conflicting language in the text notes online sale language in one section and a later prohibition in another).
• Annual gross income cap: operations must have $20,000 or less in annual gross income from the described foods to qualify as a cottage food operation.
• Department may stop sale, seize, or hold orders for foods suspected of causing a foodborne illness.
• Labeling requirement: all baked goods, canned jams/jellies, candies, and dried herb/herb mixes sold must be labeled with the product name, the operator’s name and home or P.O. Box address, a statement that the food is not inspected, a list of ingredients in descending order, and a disclaimer about possible allergens; label must be at least 10-point font.
• Operators must maintain certification of having attended and passed a department-approved food safety course.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 23, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Food