Food Safety Resources

  • Familyfarmed On-Farm Food Safety Project – The On-Farm Food Safety Project (OFFS) is a comprehensive national program that offers fruit and vegetable farmers, food safety professionals and agricultural extension specialists technical assistance to utilize and teach best practices in food safety.
  • Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Grower Safety Training Courses: While not mandatory, obtaining a produce safety certificate can open many doors and help you to understand how to keep your produce as safe as possible.
  • Checklist for Retail Purchasing of Local Fresh Produce – Iowa State University Extension & Outreach: Use this checklist for self-auditing.
  • Clean Start Food Safety Program – Iowa Valley RC&D – This program is a free, five month coaching program intended to help beginning farmers understand and implement food safety best practices on their own farm. Program coaches will work with participants each month, culminating in the creation of a personalized Food Safety Plan.
  • Iowa Kitchen Connect – if your goal is to turn your produce into products, Iowa Kitchen Connect is a great resource to start understanding the requirements such as licensing, food safety, insurance, and can even help you find kitchen space to rent.

Iowa Food Regulations

  • Iowa Cottage Food Law:“Cottage foods” are foods that are prepared in a residence that are not subject to licensing or inspection. As defined by the new legislation, “cottage foods” must meet ALL of the following criteria:
    1. The food is prepared in a private residence;
    2. The food does not require temperature control to ensure safety;
    3. The food is sold directly from the producer to the consumer; and
    4. The food is properly labeled.
  • Do I Need a License? – DIAL: Find out which type of license(s) you need if you’re thinking about selling prepared foods.