Cottage Food Producer food safety training webinar and online course available

Do you get rave reviews on your homemade breads, cakes and cookies? Are family and friends asking to buy your yummy home canned salsa and pickles? Have you considered starting a food business out of your home but are at a loss where to start? Join University of Minnesota Extension Food Safety Educators, Kathy Brandt and Suzanne Driessen at a Cottage Food Producer Food Safety Training webinar or take the online course. Both the webinar and online course meet the Minnesota Department of Agriculture food safety training requirements to register as a Minnesota Cottage Food Producer. Once registered, you’ll be able to make and sell homemade non-potentially hazardous foods including baked goods, candy, home-canned peaches, pickles, salsa, jams, jellies and more. The specific conditions that must be met to qualify as an allowable Minnesota cottage food will be thoroughly covered.

The training focus is on food safety practices for all processes covered under the Minnesota Cottage Food Law (CFL) including drying, baking, confections, jams and jellies, acid and acidified fruit and vegetables, and fermentation. Participants learn how to produce, package, label, store, and transport a safe food product. Many details of the CFL will be covered including who needs to register, where allowed cottage food can be sold and the maximum gross yearly sales allowed.

Registration and $50/ person fee are required. To register for the upcoming webinar on Saturday, December 4, or for the online course, go to z.umn.edu/CFPtraining. For more information contact Suzanne at 320-203-6057 or driessen@umn.edu.