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Find Local FoodAbout this Event
Are you a farmer diversifying into value-added production or an entrepreneur developing new and exciting products? Do you have questions about how to integrate food safety and quality into the development of a value-added food product? If so, this is the program for you!
Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) is collaborating with UMass Amherst, The University of Rhode Island, Commonwealth Kitchen, and the Western MA Food Processing Center at the Franklin County Community Development Corporation to offer this virtual program designed specifically to address food product development and food safety issues faced by small farmers and food producers.
This course will address the key attributes of formulating a product from concept to commercialization including food safety and scaling up considerations. You will learn about the food science basics, key elements required for product labeling, and an overview of key regulatory requirements for small and emerging food businesses, such as entrepreneurs and local food processors.
The course objective is to prepare small producers for what to expect when diving into value-added food processing or scaling up an existing product. Real world local food and farm examples will be used.
Details:
Target Audience:
Ideal for farmers and specialty food producers using or planning to use licensed commercial kitchens to make value-added food products whether on farm or in a shared use kitchen. It is also relevant, though not specifically tailored, to farmers considering on-farm processing of low-risk foods and producers making cottage foods in commercial residential kitchens.
Course Content
Registration Fee: This program, including office hours and virtual sessions, is $50. We do not want finances to be a barrier to attendance so CISA offers sliding scale pricing to ensure anyone can attend. Please contact Zoraia de Jesus Barros, 413-665-7100 ext.15, for more information.
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Questions? Contact Zoraia de Jesus Barros, 413-665-7100 ext. 15.