COLUMBUS, Ohio – If working off the farm isn’t an option for extra income, then perhaps selling baked goods using items raised on the farm would suffice? Or perhaps there’s value-added opportunities for crops grown or livestock raised on the farm. Maybe you’re the entrepreneur type who is aiming to use local agricultural products to make value-added foods to sell.

The “Food Business Central” online course offered by Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences can help equip eager farmers with the knowledge and strategies to launch a successful farm-raised or farm-based food business in Ohio. 

Created by OSU Extension educators and specialists in family and consumer sciences, the course is designed to serve as a centralized hub to connect participants to information and resources regarding all types of food products they might want to make and sell, according to Emily Marrison, OSU Extension educator and course development team member.

“This course is designed for anyone wanting to start a packaged food business,” Marrison said. “Navigating food regulations, establishing a new business, and applying best practices for food safety can be challenges for food entrepreneurs as many people interested in starting a food business aren’t sure where to turn first.

“Additionally, this course can help you develop a food business action plan and learn what you need to do to start off organized, safe, compliant and strategic. This course is designed to serve as a centralized hub to connect participants to information and resources regarding all types of food products they might want to make and sell.”

The self-paced course contains 10 modules, five of which focus on Ohio food laws, food safely basics, legal startup and insurance, marketing and economics. The other five modules focus on foods including cottage foods and baked goods, canned foods, meat, poultry, eggs and other foods such as beverages, dairy products, and syrups.

“Throughout the course, participants will consider key questions and develop action steps to take on their journey to start a food business,” Marrison said. “As food entrepreneurs complete the course, they’ll be able to complete a business plan with help from their local small business development centers.”

This online course was launched in February, and with great acceptance.

“We’ve had good response so far and we’re looking for more ways to promote it,” Marrison said.

Accompanying Marrison in teaching this online course are Nicole Arnold, OSU food safety state specialist, Garth Ruff, OSU field specialist in beef cattle and livestock marketing, and Peggy Kirk Hall, attorney and director of the Agricultural & Resource Law Program at Ohio State.

“Our goal is to help food business entrepreneurs start off organized, safe, compliant and strategic,” Arnold said.

“Navigating food regulations, establishing a new business and applying best practices for food safety can be challenges for food entrepreneurs,” Hall added. “This course is designed to serve as a centralized hub to connect you to information and resources regarding all types of food products you might want to make and sell.”

Marrison and Hall started with a webinar series in 2023 but found that people might not be available at that time slot and were not able to be a part of it. They turned their attention to the online course.

“With this course participants can work at their own pace, get on it in the day or night if they prefer, and they can finish it in a week or even a month if they have to,” Marrison said.

Even after the completion of the course, participants can reach out to the group with any questions at any time, Marrison said.

“Peggy and I have traveled across the state in various workshops and it’s been a dream of ours to have one place where people can go, as most people don’t know where to start to get their business off the ground,” Marrison said. “There’s so many regulation concerns, such as food safety issues, the basics of any business, and so much more.”

The course development was partially funded through a grant from North Central Extension Risk Management Education through the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to develop resources that help farmers and ranchers effectively manage risk in their operations.

The course costs $25 and registration is at go.osu.edu/foodbusinesscentral.