Every product you sell as a New York home processor must carry a compliant label — affixed to each individual package. Here is every required element, the exact wording for the recommended home kitchen statement, allergen rules, and net weight requirements.
New York's labeling requirements for home processors are set by the NYSDAM under 1 CRR-NY 276.4. Labels are required on every individual package sold — a separate card or insert inside packaging does not count. The label must be affixed to or printed directly on the container.
The common or usual name of the product — what a customer would normally call it. "Chocolate Chip Cookies," "Strawberry Jam," "Caramel Corn," "Granola Bars." Do not use vague names like "Baked Goods" or invented brand names without a common descriptor alongside them.
All ingredients listed in descending order of predominance by weight — the most heavily used ingredient first. Use common names for ingredients. Sub-ingredients of compound ingredients should be listed in parentheses (e.g., "semi-sweet chocolate (sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, milkfat, soy lecithin)"). If an ingredient is also a major allergen, it must appear or be called out in the allergen statement.
The total weight, volume, or count of the product. Must be stated in both US customary and metric units. Examples: "NET WT 8 oz (227g)" or "NET WT 1 lb 4 oz (567g)". For count items (cookies, candies), "6 pieces" is acceptable. See net weight section below for details.
Your personal name or registered business name. This can be your legal name ("Jane Smith"), your DBA business name ("Hudson Valley Sweets"), or a combination. It must match the name on your Home Processor registration with NYSDAM. Do not use a name that hasn't been registered if it differs from your personal name.
Your complete place of business address: street address or P.O. Box, city, state (NY), and ZIP code. This must be your actual home address or registered business address — the same address on your NYSDAM registration. New York requires your full address on every label; a city and state alone is not sufficient.
All nine major allergens present in the product must be clearly identified. They must appear in the ingredient list itself (using their common name) and/or in a separate "Contains:" statement directly after the ingredients. See the allergen section below for the full nine-allergen list and formatting guidance.
NYSDAM strongly recommends adding a phrase such as "Made at Home by [Name]," "Made in the Home Kitchen of [Name]," or simply "Made in a Home Kitchen." While technically recommended rather than statutorily required, this statement should be treated as effectively mandatory — it is standard practice across all registered home processors and sets buyer expectations accurately. Minimum font size: 1/16 inch.
NYSDAM recommends — and in practice, all registered home processors should include — a statement that clearly identifies the product as made in a home kitchen. The purpose is transparency: buyers should know they are purchasing a product made in a home setting that has not been inspected by the state's Department of Agriculture.
Include the statement on every label, even though it is listed as "recommended" rather than legally required. It protects you by setting accurate buyer expectations, it is what NYSDAM explicitly asks for, and it is standard across all registered home processors in New York. Omitting it is technically permissible but creates unnecessary ambiguity. Treat it as required.
New York requires that all nine major food allergens recognized by the FDA be clearly identified on your label. This is a hard requirement — not optional guidance. The Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research (FASTER) Act of 2021 added sesame as the ninth major allergen, effective January 1, 2023. Make sure your labels reflect all nine, including sesame if applicable.
There are two accepted methods for declaring allergens on a food label. You may use either or both:
Name the allergen clearly within the ingredient statement using its common name. If "milk" is an ingredient listed as "butter," add the common name in parentheses: "butter (milk)." For tree nuts, specify the type: "almonds," "pecans," "walnuts" — not just "tree nuts." Wheat should appear as "wheat" or "whole wheat flour," not just "flour."
Add a separate "Contains:" statement immediately after or below the ingredient list. Format: Contains: milk, eggs, wheat, soy. This statement must be at least as prominent as the ingredient text. You may use both methods for clarity — many home processors include the allergen in the ingredient list and add a "Contains:" statement for maximum visibility.
If your home kitchen also handles products containing allergens that are not ingredients in a particular product — for example, you make both peanut butter cookies and plain shortbread in the same kitchen — you may want to add a "May contain:" or "Made in a facility that also processes:" advisory statement. This is not required by New York, but it is good practice and recommended by the FDA for consumer protection. Many markets and wholesale buyers specifically ask about cross-contact disclosures.
The net quantity declaration tells the buyer exactly how much product they are getting — before packaging weight. New York requires this in both US customary (ounces, pounds) and metric (grams, kilograms) units. Use the format below as your guide.
| Product Type | Declaration Format | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Solid food by weight | NET WT [oz or lb oz] ([grams or kg]) | NET WT 8 oz (227g) · NET WT 1 lb 4 oz (567g) |
| Less than 1 lb | NET WT [oz] ([g]) | NET WT 6 oz (170g) |
| 1 lb or more | NET WT [lb and oz] ([g or kg]) | NET WT 2 lb 4 oz (1.02 kg) |
| Liquid products (jams, syrups) | NET [fl oz] ([mL]) for fluid; or NET WT for weight declaration | NET WT 10 oz (283g) — jams are typically declared by weight |
| Countable items (cookies, candies) | Weight declaration preferred; count acceptable | NET WT 4 oz (113g) · or "12 cookies" |
The net weight is the weight of the product only — not including the container, bag, jar, or any packaging material. Weigh your product after it has fully cooled, before placing it in the final packaging. Use a kitchen scale accurate to at least 0.1 oz / 1 gram. Consistent portioning keeps your declared weight accurate across batches.
New York does not publish a comprehensive typography standard for home processor labels in the same way the FDA does for commercial nutrition labels. The one explicit size requirement is for the home kitchen statement: 1/16 inch minimum — which corresponds to approximately 4.5–5pt in standard typography.
In practice, the following guidelines reflect NYSDAM expectations and align with FDA labeling principles for small businesses:
| Label Element | Minimum Guidance | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Product name | Prominently displayed; no minimum specified | Must be the most visible text — use largest font on label |
| Ingredient list | No minimum specified by NYSDAM | FDA guidance for commercial products: 1/16" (4.5pt) — follow this as best practice |
| Net weight | No minimum specified by NYSDAM | Must be clearly legible; place on principal display panel or information panel |
| Allergen "Contains:" statement | Must be at least as prominent as ingredient text | Bold formatting is strongly recommended for maximum visibility |
| "Made in a Home Kitchen" statement | 1/16 inch minimum (≈4.5pt) | Only explicit NYSDAM font size requirement |
| Producer name & address | No minimum specified by NYSDAM | Clearly legible; typically on information panel or back label |
For a standard 2×4 inch jar label or a 3×4 inch bag label, use a minimum of 6–7pt for ingredient and address text and 8–9pt for the allergen "Contains:" statement. Your product name should be at least 14–18pt and visually dominant. If your label is very small (e.g., a round 2.5" label), prioritize the product name, ingredients, and allergens — you can add an address card or secondary label for the remaining fields.
Several elements that appear on commercial food labels are not required for New York home processors:
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