A: The Extension Cottage Food Connection Enews is a great way to learn what's new, explore food safety issues, get to know other cottage food producers, find out what cottage food producers are curious about and access resources worth exploring.
It's a quarterly email newsletter in which you can subcribe.
- November 2021 issue (Topics: Training requirements and training sources; CFP registration and renewal tips and reminders from MN Department of Agriculture; Updating food list process; Are freezer jams allowed?; Check the label on glitters, decorations to prevent toxic metal poisonings; Meet the flours – wheat flours; PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT Ruth Francour, Aunt Ruth’s Baked Goods; Why are caramel apples with an inserted stick a food safety risk?)
- September 2021 issue (Topics: COVID-19 prevention and mask update; New cottage food law reminders and updates; New training materials reflect cottage food law changes; Are your customers at a higher risk of food poisoning?; PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT Brian Brandt, Mustang Sally BBQ and Chris Brandt, Brandt’s Bakery; Why aren’t home-canned white peaches or nectarines allowed as a cottage food product? ; Can I use tapioca starch to thicken BBQ or hot sauce for sale?)
- June 2021 issue (Topics: Law changes; Sesame designated as the ninth major food allergen; Best practices for safe food handling; PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT Shelley Erickson, Sweet Eats by Shelley; Canning supply shortages update and alternatives)
- February 2021 issue (Topics: Meet Dr. Omolo, Food Safety Extension Specialist; Does training really keep cottage food legal and safe?; Virtual live Cottage Food: Keep it Safe! Keep it Legal! Webinars scheduled for 2021; Norovirus, the winter vomiting bug; PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT Maya Sullivan, Desserts and Delectables; What is the connection between water activity and moisture migration?)
- November 2020 issue (Topics: Emergency Executive Order 20-99: Heads up cottage; food producers!; In need of food safety training?; 2021 CFP registration cards have a new look; Brandt and Driessen recognized for outstanding work!; Keep you and your customers safe during COVID-19; PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT David Manuel, Muskrat’s Specialty Foods and Maureen Widmer, Le Sueur, Minnesota; Do you know the story behind the Minnesota cottage food law?; COVID-19 Response plan templates and resources for CFPs)
- September 2020 issue (Topics: Food preservation webinars and recordings; Food safety considerations to ferment vegetables safely; PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT Laura Thompson, Thompson Family Farm and Cindy Gilmore, Cinful Delights; What products need lab testing?; Use standardized recipes and processes for a safe home canned product)
- May 2020 issue (Topics: Bringing registered CFPs together – One conversation at a time! Minnesota Cottage Food Producer’s Association (MNCFPA); The cottage food producer food safety training online course is available when you need it!; Food safety: Fact vs. myth during COVID-19 pandemic; Keep yourself and your customers safe during COVID-19; MN CFPs share pick-up and delivery ideas; PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT Christine Myhre, Desserts First Bakery; Substitute ingredients for baking during COVID-19 and anytime)
- March 2020 issue (Topics: 2020 Cottage Food Producer Food Safety Training Schedule; Food product list updated; Registration card logo for 2020; Study finds concerns with online home canning recipes; Is your jar of jam legally a jam?; PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT Diane Dunham serves up tasty treats at the Mankato Farmers’ Market; Answers to Food Product Sampling Questions)
- November 2019 issue (Topics: Driessen and Brandt receive national food safety award; Canned cakes and breads in jars - are they safe?; Heads up! Sesame allergen labeling may be required; I have a current registration and want to re-register (renew) for next year. How do I do that?; How do I check if someone is registered as a cottage food producer?; Producer Spotlight: Sarah Williams, Sugar 'n Spice 'n Everything Nice; Resources: Do's and don'ts of candy making, How to substitute honey for sugar in baked goods)
- August 2019 issue (Topics: New and Improved - Cottage Food Producer Advanced Food Safety Online Course; Hot-fill-hold process; Water Activity and Food Safety; PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT Ellen Carlson - Love Story Cakes; Shelf life testing: What is it? Do I need to do it for my cottage food products?)
- June 2019 issue (Topics: Meet Alida, Minnesota Department of Agriculture cottage food liaison; Cottage Food Law workgroup gets answers to your questions; Summer and food safety; Can I use commercially processed fruit in baked items or to top a cake?; PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT Mychal Waldorf Wheatless Wonders)
- March 2019 issue (Topics: Registered Cottage Food Producers card reminders; Decorating with glitter? Is it edible?; Don't touch my food please; Can I use natural or green sanitizers to sanitize food contact surfaces?; Producer Spotlight: Corrine Bonnema The "Pie Lady" and Christine Walker)
- November 2018 issue (Topics: Double Dog Kombucha - What?; Labeling ingredients; Producer Spotlight: Dawn Olson-Wallerus, Sugar & Spice Custom Cakery; As a cottage food producer, how often do I need training?; Safe Food Sampling for Farmers Market Vendors)
- August 2018 issue (Topics: Minnesota Cottage Food Industry is Growing; Study finds most don't practice basic food safety steps; Do's and Don'ts of home canned items for sale; Can I re-use pickling brine?; Do tested standardized canning recipes require lab testing?; Producer Spotlight: Dana and Kristine Steenburg, Angry Tomato Salsa)
- June 2018 issue (Topics: Conduct a health check of all household members before you start to prevent foodborne illness; Why some food is considered potentially hazardous?; Producer Spotlight: Thirteen-year-old Rasmus Bregendahl, The Danish Baker; pH testing: Why, when and how)
