LANSING, MI - Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm signed two bills into law that allow residents to make and package certain foods at home and sell or distribute them to the public, AnnArbor.com reports.

Previously, food was required to be prepared in a Michigan Department of Agriculture-certified commercial kitchen in order to be sold to the public.

The kitchen certification was cost prohibitive for many, requiring a licensing fee. And Granholm said the new law is designed to unburden Michigan's food industry from unnecessary regulation.

"This is a great way of eluding some bureaucracy and fostering some great, great entrepreneurs in the agricultural field," Granholm said of the bills.

The law applies to businesses that gross less than $15,000 annually, including foods that are classified as "non-potentially hazardous," meaning they aren't temperature-controlled. It includes baked goods, pies, cereal, candy, dry mixes, popcorn, coffee and other items. Companies that gross more than $15,000 must produce their foods in commercial kitchens and obtain proper licensing.

The foods' labels must clearly state that the food was prepared in a home kitchen, listing the ingredients in descending order by weight.

The new law allows people to sell their food at roadside stands, flea markets, or fairs, though food sold in grocery stores must be produced in a certified commercial kitchen and display proper licensing.

"This is a bipartisan bill, and I think everyone would agree, Democrats or Republicans, that unnecessary regulation, or regulation that prevents people from becoming entrepreneurs or doing their business, needs to be repealed," Granholm said.