Food Safety

The goals of the Food Safety program include educating consumers on safe food handling in food preparation and food preservation, and educating farmers and farmers market vendors on food safety and regulatory compliance. Many topics are highlighted on this site to help you learn how to safely handle food from the farm to your table. The University of Missouri Extension provides food safety resources and training on a variety of topics, including the following:

  • Produce safety for produce growers
  • Food labeling and regulations for Missouri food producers and processors
  • Selling and sampling foods safely for both producers and consumers
  • Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs)
  • Good manufacturing processes
  • Home food preservation
  • Food safety for pregnant women
GAPs cost share funds available to MO produce growers
  • For a limited time, MU Extension has GAPs cost share funding available for Missouri produce growers, which will pay for up to half the cost of USDA, Quality Fresh, Primus, GlobalGAP or other GAP certification, up to a total of $800/farm/year.
  • Can be used for GAPs audits occurring between Nov. 1, 2019 and Aug. 30, 2024.
  • MU Extension can also provide technical assistance to farmers in preparing for the GAPs audit.

Learn more (PDF)

Sign up for this monthly newsletter to receive timely information about upcoming events and the latest news from MU Extension specialists around the topics of nutrition, food and fitness.

*Required field

Resources

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention Foodborne Outbreaks

During a multistate foodborne disease outbreak, CDC serves as lead coordinator between public health partners to detect the outbreak, define its size and extent, and to identify the source. The goal is to investigate and control outbreaks, and to learn how to prevent similar outbreaks from happening in the future.

COVID-19 Farmers Market Vendors: Setup, Safety and Operations (PDF)

This guide provides farmers market vendors with vital information during the COVID-19 outbreak.

COVID-19 Farmers Markets: Steps for Customers to Shop Safely (PDF)

An infosheet to help customers navigate farmers market spaces during COVID-19.

Contact us: