A rule most states do not have
Michigan explicitly permits a hand-printed cottage food label. Not a printed label with a handwritten batch number, the whole thing, lettered by hand.
The permission comes with conditions, and they are the interesting part:
- Clearly legible
- Written in durable, permanent ink
- Printed large enough to meet the font size requirements
That last condition is where hand-lettering usually fails. The requirement is a measured minimum, not an impression of size, and a marker line that looks generous can measure under it.
If you sell at markets and the handwriting is the brand, use it. Measure one sample against a ruler, keep it as your reference, and letter every label to match.
The statement, exactly
Made in a home kitchen that has not been inspected by the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development
Three formatting requirements attach to it.
- At least the equivalent of 11-point type, which is roughly 1/8 inch tall
- In a colour that provides clear contrast to the background
- Legible, whether printed or hand-lettered
The 11-point minimum is higher than the 10-point that Ohio, Florida, and Georgia use, so a template borrowed from one of those states will be undersized in Michigan. Check the number rather than assuming a cottage food template travels.
Net quantity needs both units
Michigan wants net weight or net volume with the metric equivalent. "12 oz" alone is short; "12 oz (340 g)" is the shape.
This catches producers moving from states that accept US units alone. Derive the metric figure properly rather than eyeballing a conversion, and follow the federal rounding conventions for net quantity.
Allergen labelling follows the federal requirements, which means all nine major allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame. Sesame joined that list in 2023, so an older template may be missing it.
The tiered cap, and the wedding cake clause
Michigan allows $50,000 a year in cottage food sales. It allows $75,000 if every product you sell is priced at $250 or more per unit.
That second tier exists for the celebration cake maker. Read the condition carefully: it is not a higher allowance for expensive items sold alongside cheap ones. It applies where every product you sell meets the price threshold. Sell one $12 jar of jam and you are back to the $50,000 tier.
MDARD may adjust these figures annually for inflation beginning 1 October 2026, using a three-year average of the Detroit Consumer Price Index. Once that starts, the published figure will move, so check the current number with MDARD rather than a secondary source. This guide names the statutory figures rather than a current-year adjustment, deliberately.
When the Nutrition Facts panel enters
Michigan does not require one. The federal government decides, and most cottage food operations sit inside the exemption at 21 CFR 101.9(j)(1): annual gross sales of $500,000 or less, or annual gross sales of food to consumers of $50,000 or less, with no filing.
Notice the coincidence and do not be misled by it. The federal $50,000 figure and the Michigan $50,000 cap are the same number doing two entirely different jobs. The Michigan figure caps what you may sell as a cottage food operation. The federal figure decides whether you need a Nutrition Facts panel. They are not linked, they are not adjusted together, and clearing one tells you nothing about the other.
The more common trigger is still a claim. A nutrient content or health claim on the label, in labeling, or in advertising ends the exemption. Describing a cake as "made with real butter" is a description. Calling it "low sugar" is a claim.
Printing the panel
If you letter the rest of the label by hand, the Nutrition Facts panel is the one part that has to be typeset. It has prescribed typography, rules, and spacing, and it cannot be drawn freehand.
The workable combination is a printed panel applied alongside your hand-lettered label, or a printed sheet you letter over. Nutrifax exports the panel as a print-ready PDF or PNG at correct physical dimensions, and tiles an Avery 5163 sheet if you are printing your own stickers. See Avery 5163 label printing for the sheet workflow.
Related pages
- Cottage Food Label Requirements by State
- Avery 5163 Label Printing
- When Nutrition Labels Are Required in the US
- US FDA Nutrition Label Requirements for Small Producers
- FDA nutrition label generator
Sources
- MDARD: Michigan cottage foods information
- Michigan Legislature: MCL 289.4102
- FDA: Small business nutrition labeling exemption guide
- eCFR: 21 CFR 101.9 (Nutrition labeling of food)
Disclaimer
Educational content only; not legal advice. Michigan's sales limits may be adjusted for inflation from 1 October 2026. Confirm current requirements with MDARD, and confirm the final label against current regulations for your product and jurisdiction.