FREE ONLINE, SELF-GUIDED COURSE
Looking for ways to decrease waste, increase efficiency, and grow your customer base? Learn how to do all of this (and more) with our FREE online self-guided course designed to help you launch your own cottage food or value-added farm business.
WHAT ARE COTTAGE FOODS AND VALUE-ADDED GOODS?
Cottage foods are items produced in a person’s home kitchen or other designated location and sold directly to a consumer. Cottage foods may only be sold directly from producer to consumer. Check out the Illinois Department of Public Health’s comprehensive 2022 cottage food guide.
A value-added food product is something grown or raised by a farmer and then increased in value through labor and creativity. Value can be added minimally through marketing, or more intensively through processing. Processed items sold through third parties must be prepared in a certified commercial kitchen.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
This course will give you the tools to launch a new farm enterprise! From developing your product to selling it, we’ll walk you through the steps it takes to launch your new enterprise into the market. By the end of this course you will have a complete enterprise plan to guide your new venture!
Module 1: Planning Your Local Food Business
Module 2: Your Product and Its Market
Module 3: Assessing and Mitigating Risk
Module 4: Developing Your Marketing Strategy
Module 5: Developing Your Sales Plan
COURSE STRUCTURE
This is a self-guided online course. Participants will watch a series of pre-learning videos, recorded presentations, and complete an additional 1-2 hours of independent work between module. Each module builds upon the last, providing you with the tools you will need to develop the next piece of your enterprise plan and get you closer to launching your own cottage food or value added business!
TO PARTICIPATE, YOU MUST BE:
- A current grower (farmer, farm manager, or farm-
worker) or home gardener* - Producer of fruits, vegetables, food-grade grains, fiber, meat, or dairy
*Some content will be specific to businesses operating in the state of Illinois; if enrolling from another state, you will need to research your state’s regulations.
Questions? Please reach out to Crystal at [email protected].
