Rules and regulations for selling honey in Michigan
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EmailA guide for beekeepers who want to process and sell honey or honey related products direct or wholesale.
Many Michigan beekeepers have questions about the rules and regulations regarding processing and selling honey and honey products. Some of the common questions include:
- What are the honey processing rules?
- Can I sell honey directly to people?
- Can I sell honey in stores?
- How do I label my honey products?
- Can I use the word “organic” on my label?
The following are the answers to these common questions. Michigan State University Extension encourages you to check out “Starting and Keeping Bees in Michigan: Rules and Regulations” for more information on other topics.
Honey processing rules
The dollar amount of your honey sales determines the set of rules you must follow. Honey producers with limited gross sales are exempt from licensure under the Michigan Food Law. The Michigan Legislature passed a bill in December 2025 to align sales limits of honey and maple syrup sold under a license exemption to the sales limits that are applied to cottage foods. The Michigan Legislature passed another bill in December 2025 to increase cottage food sales limits and allow MDARD to annually make inflationary increases. Based on these amendments to the Michigan Food Law, sales limits for exempt honey, maple syrup and cottage foods will remain aligned from this point forward.
Under the Cottage Food Law, the new limit becoming effective in late March 2026 states that gross sales cannot exceed $50,000 annually. If the cottage food business sells any products at a price of $250 or more a unit, gross sales cannot exceed $75,000 annually. These limits apply to cottage food operators, honey producers and maple syrup producers. Producers who exceed those limits in gross sales are required to have Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) Food Establishment License(s) for processing and warehousing.
The honey and maple syrup exemption applies to producers selling pure honey. Honey that is mixed with other ingredients does not fall under the honey and maple syrup exemption. Producers who sell products of honey mixed with other ingredients may fall under the Cottage Food Law exemption or need licensure under the Michigan Food Law, depending on the product. Sales of a beekeeping operation’s non-food products (for example, honey bee queens or nucs) do not count toward the gross annual sales limits.
The limit applies separately to pure honey, pure maple syrup and cottage food. For example, a producer selling products at less than $250 each could sell up to $50,000 in pure honey, up to $50,000 in pure maple syrup, and up to $50,000 in cottage foods annually.
The following is a guide to help Michigan honey producers understand which law applies when selling pure honey.
- $50,000* or less in gross annual sales of pure honey: The honey and maple syrup exemption applies.
- $75,000* or less in gross annual sales of pure honey if the producer sells any products at a price of $250 or more per unit: The honey and maple syrup exemption applies.
- Greater than $50,000* in gross annual sales if all products are sold at a price of less than $250 per unit: Michigan Food Law licensing regulations apply.
- Greater than $75,000* in gross annual sales: Michigan Food Law licensing regulations apply.
*The limits may be adjusted annually by MDARD for inflation beginning Oct. 1 and by October each year afterward.
Selling honey
Honey producers are not limited to direct sales like cottage food producers. They can wholesale their products to grocery stores, restaurants and other retailers as long as their package is labeled correctly.
Before selling your honey, you must determine if your establishment needs to be licensed based on gross sales. If you do need a processing license, you’ll need a label that meets state labeling guidelines. See the licensing and labeling information provided in this article.
Labeling honey
For pure, one ingredient honey, your labeling guidelines are based on your gross sales totals. For those selling under the honey and maple syrup exemption as described in this article, your label must include the following:
- Name of business
- Address of production
- Standard identity of product, such as honey if only one ingredient
- Net weight declared in both U.S. customary system (ounces, pounds) and metric (grams, kilograms)
- The following disclaimer: Processed in a facility not inspected by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Those with sales that do not fall under the honey and maple syrup exemption must follow the MDARD labeling guidelines.
Nutrition facts on labels
You are not required to have a nutrition facts label unless you make nutrition claims or sell more than 100,000 units. However, stores can require a nutrition facts label on products sold.
Putting organic on the label
You can only do so if you are a certified organic operation. Read more about this for further guidance in the “Starting and Keeping Bees in Michigan: Rules and Regulations” guide for beekeepers.
Michigan State University Extension and the Michigan State University (MSU) Product Center assists entrepreneurs and businesses in developing products and services in the food and agriculture markets. Its team of experts consult with clients on a one-on-one basis, helping new entrepreneurs navigate from concept development to launch and beyond. The MSU Product Center also offers specialized services such as labeling, packaging and nutritional analysis. If you are interested in business counseling, please visit the MSU Product Center website.
