Cottage Food Operator Training
Approach your home-based food business with confidence.
Establishing a home-based food business takes work to get started and to stay current. Get a head start on understanding the laws, certifications, processes, and practices required to safely and legally run a cottage food operation in Illinois and learn how the newest laws give businesses room to grow and thrive.
- Self-paced, online course
- Expert overview of cottage food topics, including:
- Legislation, prohibited foods, and certifications
- Permitted sales avenues
- General food safety practices
- Refrigerated and frozen food requirements
- Food preservation methods
- Packaging and labeling
- Zoning, insurance, and limitations for Chicago-area businesses
- Legislative updates from Illinois' Home-to-Market Act (January 2022)
- You also have the option to take part in the Question and Answer Forum to ask questions or post comments to other cottage food operators and expert instructors.
- Course fee: $25
At the end of the course, you will receive a certificate of completion. This course works best when accessed on a desktop/laptop computer or a tablet. You’ll have access to the course for 12 months from your enrollment date.
Please note: This course does not take the place of the American National Standards Institute accredited Certified Food Protection Managers course and exam required by the Illinois Department of Public Health for all cottage food operators and persons preparing or packaging products as part of a cottage food operation.