relative to labeling requirements for food produced in homestead kitchens.

New rules for home food businesses

The law takes effect 60 days after passage and sets labeling and licensing rules for New Hampshire homestead food businesses. Packaged foods must identify the business and product, give contact and allergy information, and disclose licensing status. Contact details include a physical or email address and phone number. Labels must state either “This product is exempt from New Hampshire licensing and inspection” or “This product is made in a residential kitchen licensed by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.” For home or owner-operated farm stand sales, ingredients must appear in descending order by weight, either on the label or through a QR code or website with a physical ingredient sign at the display. Labels must list ingredients for farmers’ market, restaurant, other retail outlet, online, mail-order, and reseller sales. Businesses selling food that is not potentially hazardous from home, their own farm stand, farmers’ markets, or retail food stores are exempt from licensing and routine state inspection, regardless of annual sales. The state can still inspect when it has reason to suspect an imminent health hazard. Sales to restaurants or other retail food establishments, online, by mail, or to distributors for resale require a license. The state health department must adopt licensing rules for those sales.