🚨 URGENT ACTION NEEDED: HB 402 Hearing Today at 4:00 PM
Please continue to support HB 402.
HB 402 – Cottage Food Laws, patroned by Delegate Callsen, will be heard today at 4:00 PM in the House Agricultural Subcommittee.
Take Action Now
- Call members of the Agricultural Subcommittee and ask them to support the passage of HB 402
- Leave a public comment on HODspeak
- Sign up to speak remotely at today’s 4:00 PM committee meeting
Your voice matters—please act before the hearing.
✅ Why Support HB 402?
HB 402 has two major impacts that significantly expand food freedom and support small producers.
1. Expands Cottage Food Freedom
Cottage foods—those currently exempt from state regulation—are subject to limits on where they can be sold, how much can be produced, and how much income can be earned.
HB 402 removes these restrictions by:
- Eliminating sales and income caps
- Allowing cottage foods to be sold anywhere, not just in person, at farmers markets, or special events
- Empowering individuals to freely produce and sell foods the state has already deemed safe for exemption
2. Streamlines Kitchen Permitting
While cottage foods do not require permits, foods such as soups, lasagnas, pies, and other time/temperature-controlled foods currently require a state-issued kitchen permit.
The existing permitting process is overly burdensome. HB 402:
- Removes unnecessary requirements
- Streamlines the kitchen inspection and permitting process
- Makes it far easier for producers to legally grow their businesses and sell to the public
HB 402 + HB 699: A Powerful Pair
HB 402 is a perfect companion bill to HB 699.
- HB 699 allows all foods to be sold directly from the farm or home without regulatory burden
- HB 402 ensures that as producers grow, the path to regulation is reasonable and achievable
Together, these bills will:
- Foster local economic growth
- Strengthen food security
- Build long-term resilience within Virginia’s food system
