Across New England, community kitchens are springing up to support food entrepreneurs, improve access to locally grown food, and support local farmers. This guide helps community kitchens and kitchen users – including small businesses and nonprofit groups – understand how to make use of these invaluable spaces and how to comply with the laws governing their operation.
Topic: Licenses
Shared Use & Community Kitchens
Community kitchens can provide entrepreneurs and community groups a crucial link to building food businesses or running community food programs. This webinar shares some of the considerations for using shared community kitchen space legally, safely and successfully. The webinar includes an introduction to community use of kitchens, understanding the basics of what community and residential kitchens are and are not allowed to do, key legal considerations for community kitchens, and a case study of a successful food entrepreneur working who started in a shared kitchen.
This webinar was produced by Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) in partnership with Franklin Regional Council of Governments, Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation, Conservation Law Foundation, Massachusetts Association of Health Boards, Franklin County Community Development Corporation, and Whole Harmony.
FSMA Produce Safety Rule: Selected Topics
This webinar provides a useful overview of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, presented by Rhode Island attorney Sumana Chintapalli and University of Rhode Island food safety expert Lori Pivarnik. It is a good starting point to become better acquainted with the Produce Safety Rule. The webinar includes an overview of the requirements under the rule, key definitions to know, activities covered under the rule, and how to determine if your farm is covered by the rule or exempt from it. It also reviews the requirements for agricultural water, biological soil amendments, domesticated and wild animals, and record keeping. Finally, it covers the timeline for compliance.