WHICH FOOD SAFETY TRAINING DOES MY STATE REQUIRE?
Check this off your cottage food startup bucket list, with my state-by-state compilation.
Greetings, my fellow foodie!
Today I will run down some ‘behind the scenes’ information about food safety courses and certification you may or may not need (or know about), to get up and running.
Discover if you even need a course! And if so, what kind, and for what category of products.
First, you always want a course accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the umbrella organization for the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB).
Next, you need to know that ALL currently approved and certified 3rd party trainings are based on the RESTAURANT/food service environment. Anywhere food is prepared hot, cold, or otherwise, primarily for IMMEDIATE consumption (including take home😉).
These are inspected environments. So even though our cottage goodies are considered non-hazardous, and our facility is not regularly inspected, we get the same training as the inspected food service folks.
Which I guess is probably a good thing… keeps us out of trouble.
Anyway, you will find some of the training content is unrelated to what you face in a home kitchen. For example, there is training on cooking temps for different meats. Irrelevant to you and me, since meats are rarely (never?) allowed as cottage foods.
(Of course, there might be benefits to our personal home cooking safety as a consumer.)
Plus, NONE of these trainings offer content related to situations you run into just at home.
For example:
· Dealing with pets (sorry, ridiculous graphic, but it nails the idea)
· Family members (including children) in the kitchen
· Separating personal and business ingredients (and finished goods?)
o Storage, refrigeration, cross-contamination, etc.
Regardless, food safety training focused on food service ONLY is our current reality. Some individual states may offer a customized “Cottage Food” compliant training for in-state use, but I’ve not run into that. Just note that as our industry grows, a more suitable training will eventually emerge. Inevitable.
ServSafe - sponsored by the National Restaurant Association - is the big kahuna in this niche, but there are dozens of alternatives, online and offline. Some are a lot more interesting and fun. And less expensive, with the same benefit.
Shouldn’t training be fun? Especially food training?!!!
One last note, these certifications expire, usually after 3 to 5 years, depending on the training and/or the state requirements. And then you must re-take a course. Don’t forget!
Now, on to the directory listing:
Below is THE most comprehensive state-by-state list of US food safety training requirements for US cottage foodies you will find anywhere.
My friend Gavin (Food Safe Pal) and I made developing this list a priority, and sometimes waited for responses from state inspection services for DAYS (weeks in some cases, sigh.)
And then we spent HOURS compiling this food safety course data.
Note that depending on your state, either:
· A Food Handlers course and certificate are NOT required (but still highly recommended)
o PS Some cities and counties in these states MAY require this training regardless. (Always check with your local inspection agency.)
· Or, a Food Handlers course and certificate ARE required, statewide.
· Or, a Food MANAGERS course is required INSTEAD.
· Or, only a state-sponsored course will meet this requirement
· Or, you MAY need a Food Handlers course, but ONLY if your lines of goodies are in specific “cottage” categories or marketing channels.
And please let me know if you see a flagrant error in the list below, and we will run it down. We've spent a lot of time compiling these, but things change, people can give bad information, and the more details - the more likely we made a mistake.
15 States that REQUIRE an ANSI-CERTIFIED FOOD HANDLERS Permit to SELL COTTAGE FOODS:
· ALABAMA
· ARIZONA
· CALIFORNIA
· COLORADO
· CONNECTICUT
· DELAWARE
· GEORGIA
· HAWAII
· INDIANA
· IOWA
· NEBRASKA
· NEW MEXICO
· RHODE ISLAND
· TEXAS
· UTAH
26 States (+DC) with NO Cottage Food Handlers Training Requirement
· (but still highly recommended for marketing, customer safety, and risk management reasons)
· ALASKA
· ARKANSAS
· DC (WASHINGTON)
· FLORIDA
· IDAHO
· KANSAS
· KENTUCKY
· LOUISIANA
· MAINE
· MICHIGAN
· MINNESOTA
· MISSISSIPPI
· MISSOURI
· MONTANA
· NEVADA
· NEW HAMPSHIRE
· NEW YORK
· NORTH CAROLINA
· NORTH DAKOTA
· OHIO
· PENNSYLVANIA
· SOUTH CAROLINA
· TENNESSEE
· VERMONT
· WEST VIRGINIA
· WISCONSIN
· WYOMING
3 States That Require Food MANAGERS Training INSTEAD, for Cottage Foodies:
· ILLINOIS
· MASSACHUSSETS
· NEW JERSEY
2 States that Require SPECIFIC Food Handler Training(s):
· WASHINGTON – State Sponsored Training ONLY, Required
· OREGON – Only if you sell TCS (Time-Temperature Controlled for Safety) Foods – State Approved Training Only - Check official state list.
5 States that Require Food Handlers Training, But ONLY for Specific Categories
· MARYLAND – ONLY if Products are Sold to RETAILERS for Resale (Wholesaling)
· OREGON – (As previously mentioned) ONLY for TCS (Time-Temperature Controlled for Safety) Foods – State keeps an approved list of courses, be sure to check.
· OKLAHOMA - TCS (Time-Temperature Controlled for Safety) Foods - these still qualify as Cottage Foods in Oklahoma, WITH (and only with) an ANSI-approved training.
· SOUTH DAKOTA – Canned Goods ONLY! (Except jams/jellies are exempt)
· VIRGINIA –Traditional Cottage Food categories are EXEMPT from Food Handler Requirement. But if you become a Home Based "Processor" (a unique Virginia thing), the training and certification are required.
Once you find what your state requires (or doesn’t require), you are almost there.
So, which training should I take?
I invite you to take your FOOD HANDLERS TRAINING ONLINE from the newest Cottage Food Business community OFFICIAL SPONSOR!
https://foodsafepal.com/food-handler-card/ is a popular, online ANSI-certified FOOD HANDLER training, nationally accepted by virtually all health departments.
Using an interactive design, and featuring a fun, unique "doodling" technology, each Food Safe Pal lesson goes by fast, making it easy to continue, and finish strong.
When completed, and after you take your online test, print off the colorful official Training Certificate, to frame it for your vendor booth, pickup porch, and website. Showing your certificate adds to your credibility and authenticity, whether the training is required or not.
(PS 80% score required to pass – take as many times as you need.)
Proof of food safety training is a key part of your risk management strategy – adds to protection against the potential of frivolous lawsuits, should you be so unlucky.
(And of course, print off the food handler completion cards, and keep in your wallet or bag.)
At $15, this training is already a fast, easy investment. Cheaper than most… and a LOT more fun.
As a Cottage Food Business OFFICIAL SPONSOR, Food Safe Pal offers $3 off the normal $15 price ($12 net). Just use coupon code "MCHEF12" during check out.
PS I am working with Food Safe Pal to create the first US food safety course designed for the needs of Cottage Foodies! Look for it some time in 2025! (There is an exhaustive certification process!) Stay tuned.
Are you ready to check food safety training off your bucket list?
https://foodsafepal.com/food-handler-card/
Coupon code at checkout (Save $3): MCHEF12
Debit/Credit Card or even PayPal
Oh, one last benefit of Food Safe Pal…
Gavin, the owner, keeps you in the queue, and sends you a reminder to re-up just before your certification expires in 3 to 5 years. Never be without your certification. Handy, eh?
Best wishes and Happy Cottage Fooding!
Mal Dell
The MONETIZATION CHEF
“Cooking Up Profits for Foodies!”