As the interest in local foods continues to gain momentum in Ohio, many small or beginning farmers see value-added opportunities related to crops or livestock grown and raised on their own farms. Others may be using agricultural products that other farmers are producing to make and sell value-added foods through a new food business.

Resources on this page equip food entrepreneurs who are interested in starting a new food business with tools to manage risks associated with value-added agriculture. If you have questions about food processing and safety, business planning and legal regulations, marketing or product development, please contact Emily Marrison at 740-622-2265 or marrison.12@osu.edu .

• Thinking of direct food sales? (Ohio Ag Law Blog)
• Selling Eggs in Ohio: Marketing and Regulations 
• Ohio Shared Use Establishments (Commercial Kitchens)
• Cottage Foods Fact Sheet (from Ohio Department of Agriculture)
• Farm Markets (from Ohio Department of Agriculture)
• Farmers Markets (from Ohio Department of Agriculture)
• Farm-Based Food Business NACAA (National Association of County Agriculture Agents) Poster
• Understanding Food Labels (regulations and label claims explained)

Dedicated Program Areas:

• Penn State Food Entrepreneur
• University of Wisconsin Extension Food Business Network
• The Wilbur A. Gould Food Industries Center at The Ohio State University 

Publications:

• Cornell University Small Scale Food Entrepreneurship: A Technical Guide for Food Ventures
• University of Tennessee Extension Pricing Guide for Direct Marketers
• University of Maine How to Start a Specialty Food Business
• Kansas State University Extension Foods Sold Direct to Consumers in Kansas: Regulations and Food Safety Best Practices