Jasper Newton County Public Health District

11/14/2025

If you’re coming to the health department or WIC here in Jasper Kirbyville, Buna or St. Augustine, we are in the process of collecting non-perishable can goods for the Southeast Texas Food Bank. Supplies are running short due to the overwhelming need because of the government shut down. Several agencies and retailers in the area, have these boxes posted. Please donate what you can. Even one can counts!

11/14/2025

Y’all come out to our fundraiser at
750 E Gibson St bldg 1 till 1:00pm. Get a big fat link on a bun with chips, water and a dessert for $10. You don’t even have to get out, drive up service.

11/05/2025

10/30/2025

So this month the Health District had it's annual Pumpkin decorating contest among staff. Other staff and clients coming into the health department got to vote by secret ballot. The votes were tallied today and the winner is Donniell Saph (2) of the WIC department with her ice cream pumpkin. We would like to thank all that participated in the contest and those who voted. Until next year.

10/30/2025

Let's support our veterans..

10/22/2025

Cottage Food operators did you know:

Q I-3. Can I put a kitchen in a separate building on my property and use that for my cottage food business?

No, the law says your cottage food operation must be operated out of your primary residence. If you are in a position to build a separate kitchen, you are better served to contact your local Health Department and find out the requirements to get the kitchen commercially licensed, so that you would be able to operate free of the cottage food restrictions.

10/22/2025

Cottage Law operators did you know:

Q C-18. Can I put up an unmanned “honor stand” or self-service market on my porch, front yard, or other property, for people to purchase my products without me being present?

A: DSHS has ruled no: “Foods sold by a cottage food production operation (CFPO) must be packaged and labeled (with the exception of large or bulky items), and delivered to the consumer at the point of sale. While a pre-paid CFPO may be left on a porch awaiting pick-up by arrangement with the customer, the CFPO may not set out unpurchased foods in an unattended market setting for self-service for the purpose of an honor system-type of sale. Foods must be delivered by the CFPO upon receiving an order.” (RFOD date 09/03/2025)

09/17/2025

LOOKING for a Nurse Practitioner

09/17/2025

Vehicles up for auction, if you would like to view call 409-384-6829 ext. 2235 or 2231 or 2237

08/26/2025

Texas Cottage Food Law - with 2025 updates
SB 541 has been signed into law and will be effective on September 1, 2025! Almost everything about the cottage food law has changed. Be sure to sign up for a seminar or webinar if you have questions.

As of September 1, 2025 (the last update of the Texas Cottage Food Law) you may sell any homemade food items directly to consumers, EXCEPT:
Meat, meat products, poultry, or poultry products;
Seafood, including seafood products, fish, fish products, shellfish, and shellfish products;
Ice or ice products, including shaved ice, ice cream, frozen custard, popsicles, and gelato;
Products containing cannabidiol or tetrahydrocannabinol; or
Raw milk and raw milk products.

If you sell foods that require Time and Temperature Control for Safety (TCS foods, otherwise known as foods that require refrigeration) directly to consumers, there are some additional requirements:
You must register with DSHS (process not yet available).
The food must be additionally labeled with the date the food was produced.
The food label, invoice, or receipt must include the following statement: “SAFE HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS: To prevent illness from bacteria, keep this food refrigerated or frozen until the food is prepared for consumption.”

To learn more go to:

Texas Cottage Food Law Summary The basics of the law as of September 1,2025. Texas Cottage Food Law – with 2025 updates SB 541 has been signed into law and will be effective on September 1, 2025! Almost everything about the cottage food law has changed. Be sure to sign up for a seminar or […]

08/26/2025

Q1. Do I have to label my cottage food products?

A: Yes.

Q2: What is supposed to be on the label?

Your business name and your home address. If you register with DSHS after September 1, 2025, you can get a unique identifier that you can use on your labels instead of your address.
The common or usual name of the product.
You must disclose any major allergens that are present in the food. At this date, the 9 major allergens are:
Eggs
Nuts
Peanuts
Soy
Milk
Wheat
Fish
Shellfish
Sesame
As of September 1, 2025, the new statement of non-inspection is: “THIS PRODUCT WAS PRODUCED IN A PRIVATE RESIDENCE THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO GOVERNMENTAL LICENSING OR INSPECTION.” You must use all caps, just as the statement appears in the statute.
ONLY IF you are selling refrigerated goods or wholesale, you must include the date on which the food was produced.
ONLY for refrigerated foods, Your label, invoice or receipt must include the following statement: “SAFE HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS: To prevent illness from bacteria, keep this food refrigerated or frozen until the food is prepared for consumption.”
Advertising media of cottage food products for health, disease, or other claims must be consistent with those claims allowed by the Code of Federal Regulations Title 21, Part 101, Subparts D and E.
NOTE: If your food is a pickled, fermented, or acidified canned plant-based product, then the label also must contain a unique batch number to correspond with your record-keeping. Read more about pickling, canning, and fermenting.

Q3: Does the label have to be attached to the food package?

A: Yes, except for items that are too large or bulky for packaging (like wedding cakes); in that case, the label can be incorporated into the invoice.

Q4: Instead of listing the allergens, can I make a blanket statement that my product MAY contain all of the allergens listed in the labeling requirements?

A: No, you must actually list which allergens are present.

Q5. Do I have to list all the ingredients on the label?

A: You are not required to, but you can if you like. The rule only requires you to list any of the major allergens present in the food.

Q6: Can I add information to my label, such as a statement that the food may have come into contact with other allergens?

A: Yes. As long as you have all the required elements on your label, you can add any information you wish, such as your website, phone number, QR code, etc.

Q7: I don’t like the way that statement about the food being prepared in a home kitchen sounds. Can I re-write it in my own words?

A: No, you must print the statement of non-inspection exactly the way it appears in the rule. After September 1, 2025, the new statement of non-inspection is: “THIS PRODUCT WAS PRODUCED IN A PRIVATE RESIDENCE THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO GOVERNMENTAL LICENSING OR INSPECTION.”

Q8: I don’t want to put my home address on the label. Can I leave it off or put something else in its place?

After September 1, 2025, you will be able to register with DSHS to get a unique identifier number that you can put on your labels instead of your home address. Registration for this is not yet available.

The cottage food law does not require the customer to visit your home. If you have an issue with the customer coming to your home, you can deliver the food or meet the customer at a safe public meeting spot. Many police departments offer safe spaces for internet transactions such as craigslist purchases.

You can add “By Appointment Only” on your label to discourage drop-ins.

NEVER:

Open the door to a stranger.
Invite a stranger inside your home.
Q9: If I am selling a lot of small items, such as cookies or cake pops, to the same customer, does each one have to be individually packaged and labeled?

A: The law says that “food must be packaged” and “all food must be labeled.” We would advise labeling every package of food in order to fully comply with the law.

Example: 10 unwrapped cookies in one large box: 1 label

Example: 10 wrapped cookies in one large box: 10 labels

“(a) Food described by Section 437.001(2-b)(A) sold by a cottage food production operation
must be packaged in a manner that prevents product contamination,
except that a food item is not required to be packaged if it is too
large or bulky for conventional packaging.

“(d) … All foods prepared by a cottage food production operation must be labeled.”

Q10. I’d like to split up my required information into two labels. Can I do that?

A: Yes.