Family and Consumer Sciences

Hello Baltimore County!

The University of Maryland Extension Family & Consumer Sciences (FCS) program strives to ensure that all Maryland residents are healthy and economically successful at every stage of life through education, research, and outreach programs.

We accomplish this by working with youth and families to prevent and manage chronic diseases through healthy food and physical activity choices, handling food safely, teaching financial and health insurance literacy, and creating safe and healthy places to live, work, play, and learn.

UMD Baltimore County Extension Office
410-887-8090

Starting a food business in Maryland?

Online Course - Maryland Cottage Food Producers

Course Flyer

Learn important information
regarding starting or expanding
a value-added food business in Maryland.

Course topics include:
Product Development,
Food Safety & Licensing,
as well as Financing.

Register Online!

Food Safety - Farm to Table

The University of Maryland Baltimore County office works to help mitigate various food safety risks across the food supply chain.

Read the
College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Strategic Initiatives

FARM RESOURCES

**Tip:** Familiarize yourself with your department of agriculture and county/city Extension Ag Agent, or specialist.
PROGRAM	Federal	State	University
Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs)	USDA-AMS	MDA-GAPs	UME-GAPs PLSA ALEI Clearing House
Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR)	FDA-FSMA-PSR	MDA-FSMA-PSR	PLSA ALEI Produce Safety Alliance Clearing House
FSMA-Sprout Safety Alliance (SSA)	FDA-FSMA-SSA	MDA-FSMA-SSA	Sprout Safety Alliance Clearing House

Industry/Manufacturing/Processing Resources

**Tip:** Familiarize yourself with your Environmental Health Services (county/city) and State health department, or local Extension Agent or specialist
Program	Federal/National Resources	State Resources	University Resources
Resources	FDA-FSMA-Preventive Controls Better Process Control School Process Authority Directory-AFDO	COMAR-subtitle 15 FOOD SMADC	Maryland Rural Enterprise Development Center Clearing House UMES: Help with herb drying in Maryland
Licensing	Guidance for Industry: Food Labeling Guide	MDH-Cottage fillable label guidance	Food Processing in Maryland
Seafood & HACCP			Seafood Quality & Safety

Retail Resources

**Tip:** Familiarize yourself with your Environmental Health Services (county/city) and State health department, or local Extension Agent or specialist
Program	Federal/National Resources	State Resources	University Resources
ANSI Credited Food Manager programs	ServSafe	Restaurant Association of Maryland	UME-Proctor/instructor SafePlates

Consumer Resources

**Tip:** Familiarize yourself with your local Extension Agent or specialist
Program	Federal/National Resources	State Resources	University Resources
Food Preservation (canning, drying & freezing)	National Center for Home Food Preservation		UME-GIEIPI
Consumer Food Safety Education	CDC-communication FDA USDA HealthyPeople2030 Partnership for Food Safety Education		Kitchen Kaizen *Inquire for specific classes (for example: pregnant women, older adults, diabetes). Email Dr. Shauna Henley at shenley@umd.edu

Food Safety Hotline

If you have a question about meat, poultry, or egg products, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline toll free at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854).

The Hotline is open year-round Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET (English or Spanish). Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. Check out the FSIS Web site at www.fsis.usda.gov.

Send email questions to MPHotline.fsis@usda.gov.

Ask USDA

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Family and Consumer Sciences

Starting a food business in Maryland?

Food Safety - Farm to Table

FARM RESOURCES

Industry/Manufacturing/Processing Resources

Retail Resources

Consumer Resources

Food Safety Hotline