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New Illinois Farmers’ Market and Cottage Food Law

Public Act 098-0660, a new farmers’ market law passed this spring by the Illinois General Assembly, is a major step forward in creating risk- and scale-appropriate regulations for farmers’ markets that will improve consumer access to locally produced food, support farmers’ markets as a whole and the farmers and entrepreneurs that call them home.

Most of the changes will not be implemented until the administrative rules are established and made effective next year, but two changes are effective immediately: to create new product origin requirements to foster transparency and help consumers identify re-sellers at farmers’ markets; and to cap registration fees for cottage food operations at $25/year.

The Illinois Farmers Market Task Force (IFMA) was established in 2011 by the General Assembly to work with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to establish smarter streamlined and consistent statewide regulations for farmers’ markets. It is working together this summer to provide education to farmers’ market managers and vendors.


The Illinois Stewardship and IFMA are planning to have a conference call/webinar later this summer to provide updates, get public input and answer questions. To participate, email Pat Stieren at [email protected] or visit ILFarmersMarkets.org and Facebook.