Indiana limits food rules for homestead sellers and small farms

State and local officials may not impose rules, certificates, or licenses that federal law does not require. Homestead sellers prepare and sell food or meat from their property or farmers markets. Small farms mainly grow crops or raise livestock. Each has a $1.5 million annual sales cap. Federal requirements still apply. Officials may investigate complaints of foodborne illness linked to a seller's food. These limits take effect July 1, 2026.

Homestead sellers and small farm owners may sell listed foods directly to buyers at their property or a farmers market. Sales cover prepared foods, produce, and meat at the seller's owned or leased home or farm land or at a farmers market. Foods must come mainly from the seller's property or the farmers market. Meat must come from animals raised on the seller's property and follow state slaughter, processing, and labeling law. Shipping or delivery requires a food handler certificate from an accredited issuer and a sealed package. Buyers must be in Indiana. These sale and delivery rules take effect July 1, 2026.

Homestead sellers and small farm owners must label homemade food and handle meat safely. These duties cover homemade food, livestock meat sales, and food or meat shipped or delivered by homestead sellers and small farm owners. Packaged homemade food needs a label; unpackaged homemade food needs a sign. It must give the seller's name and address, ingredients, allergens, and a notice about the licensing and inspection exemption. Sellers must refrigerate livestock meat. Sellers who ship or deliver food or meat must prevent contamination. These duties take effect July 1, 2026.

Public buildings on covered property do not have to follow the state code chapter and related commission rules named in the exemption. This covers public buildings on land a homestead seller or small farm owner owns or leases as a main home or agricultural property. The public building exemption takes effect July 1, 2026.