In the few months since Gov. Matt Meyer signed Executive Order 21 establishing the Office of Small Business Access, significant progress has been made in reducing regulatory barriers faced by small business owners.

“As a former small business owner, I know firsthand that government should be a partner in growth, not a roadblock,” said Meyer. “That’s why I signed EO 21. Small businesses are the backbone of Delaware’s economy, and our job is simple: Cut unnecessary red tape and give entrepreneurs the opportunity to succeed.”

OSBA has established an interagency Small Business Liaison Network and management system designed to resolve small business concerns quickly. To gather feedback on policy and regulatory reform, the OSBA team has completed 13 small business listening tour stops across all three counties to gather feedback on policy and regulatory reform.

Partnering with the Office of New Americans, the OSBA has engaged business owners within immigrant communities. OSBA has also partnered with the Delaware Division of Public Health to conduct a regulatory review of cottage food and food truck regulations to reduce barriers to entry and to make Delaware a leader in this space.

As a result of the collaboration among OSBA, the Governor’s Office and the Division of Public Health, Delaware will propose updates to its Cottage Food Regulations in early 2027 to expand opportunities for cottage food establishments while continuing to protect public health. The proposed changes will allow cottage food establishments to sell their products online to customers within Delaware and outside the state, provided applicable FDA registration and labeling requirements are met, and would also allow cottage foods to be sold through retail establishments under the same requirements.

The regulations will shift from an inclusion-based list of foods that are permitted to an exclusion-based approach. The update will also remove the pre-operational inspection requirement prior to opening and replace it with a self-attestation checklist confirming that the facility meets applicable requirements. Inspections would continue to be conducted when triggered by complaints.  

Looking ahead, the OSBA is preparing to launch a Joint Inspection Pilot this fall, which will enable Delaware small businesses to coordinate all agency inspections. Through this pilot program, small businesses will be able to easily track their required state inspection processes in one place. 

“The Office of Small Business Access is committed to engaging with our business community statewide,” said Director Anastasia Jackson. “I am excited to announce that our streamlined intake process is enhancing the responsiveness of state government to business inquiries, ensuring that we address concerns promptly and effectively.”  

To learn more, go to business.delaware.gov/osba.