Governor Matt Meyer announced recent progress made to implement Executive Order 21. These actions will remove regulatory barriers, promote equitable access, and foster collaboration through the newly established Office of Small Business Access (OSBA).
“As a former small business owner, I know firsthand that government should be a partner in growth, not a roadblock,” said Governor Matt 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.”
In just a few short months following the signing of Executive Order 21, OSBA has made significant progress on reducing barriers faced by small business owners, including establishing an inter-agency Small Business Liaison Network and management system designed to resolve small business concerns quickly and completing 13 Small Business Listening Tours stops across all three counties to gather feedback on policy and regulatory reform and partnering with the Office of New Americans to engage business owners within our immigrant communities.
Other gains include working alongside 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, and preparing to launch the Office of Small Business Access Joint Inspection Pilot in Fall 2026, which will enable Delaware small businesses to coordinate all agency inspections with OSBA. Through the Joint Inspection Pilot, small businesses will be able to easily track their required state inspection processes in one place.
“The Office of Small Business Access really made the difference,” said Samantha Jackson, owner of Amazing Graze, a mobile charcuterie cart. “I just want to thank OSBA for stepping in to help facilitate the meetings that I needed to occur for me to get my license. I passed my inspection this morning and I am fully licensed!”
OSBA Director Anastasia Jackson pointed out that her agency is ready to help small businesses open, grow and succeed.
“The Office of Small Business Access (OSBA) is committed to engaging with our business community statewide,” said 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.”
As a result of the collaboration between 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.
Businesses are encouraged to reach out to the Office of Small Business Access within the Division of Small Business for assistance or inquiries. For more information on the Office of Small Business Access, or to report regulatory, licensing, and permitting challenges for small businesses visit https://business.delaware.gov/osba/.
