General Food Safety for the Farmers Market & Acidified Canned Foods for the Farmers Market Workshop

Description

General Food Safety for the Farmers Market is for anyone who wants to sell produce or cottage food products at a Farmers Market. Successful completion of this training will help to ensure your product is both legal and safe. Some markets require that vendors take this course before selling at their market(s) especially those that are certified farmers market(s). This is for first time vendors or those seeking a refresher class.

Mississippi’s Cottage Food Law allows certain food items to be prepared and sold from home kitchens without getting a permit from the Mississippi State Department of Health. Producers of acidified foods (salsas, sauces, pickled products, etc.) are highly encouraged to receive training in the specific requirements and procedures for selling these products. The Acidified Canned Foods Training for Farmers Market Vendors and the Cottage Food Industries is a workshop designed to teach the basics of food safety and regulations for processing acidified foods in Mississippi. Whether you have a business that you wish to expand, enter new market avenues, or you are just in the planning stages, the ACF Training will be helpful to you. Participants completing the ACF workshop and scoring a satisfactory grade on the exams can then receive the training highly recommended for processors who process and sell acidified canned foods. This training and certificate do not allow you to sell wholesale, at a retail establishment, over the Internet, or mail order. For this, you are required to attend the Better Process Control School training (early summer schedule). You must attend the entire class to receive your certificate. There will be a final exam for the Acidified Canned Foods class. As a special service, you may bring samples of your products for free preliminary pH testing and/or your recipes for free and confidential product development assistance. Any vendor selling produce or value added or cottage food product that sells at a local farmers market. Food processors, who can acidified foods, such as pickles, salsas, dessert sauces, pickled eggs, tomatoes or other acidified food products for sale in Mississippi Certified Farmers' Markets (farmers' markets that are certified by the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce) or qualify as a Cottage Food Industry are highly encouraged to attend an acidified canned foods training course. Successful completion of this training will help to ensure your product is both legal and safe.

Mississippi State University Extension will provide reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities and individuals with limited English proficiency. Language access services, such as interpretation and translation of vital information, will be provided free of charge to limited English proficient individuals upon request. Contact our office 662-283-4133. For disability accommodation, please contact Amy Beth Ware at 662-283-4133 or amy.b.ware@msstate.edu

Mississippi State University is an equal opportunity institution. Discrimination in university employment, programs, or activities based on race, color, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, or any other status protected by applicable law is prohibited. Questions about equal opportunity programs or compliance should be directed to the Office of Compliance and Integrity, 56 Morgan Street, P.O. 6044, Mississippi State, MS 39762, (662) 325-5839.