DARTMOUTH GRANGE NO. 162
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Starting a Food Business, Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

SEMAP (Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership) 
Contact:
Sarah Kelley 
1 State Bog Road 
East Wareham, MA 02538 
598.295.2212 ext. 50 
www.semaponline.org
Find farmers who grow the produce you need for your specialty food business.
Resources
Information on food safety guidelines and regulations for labeling and safe preparation, manufacture, and distribution of food products.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
Food & Drug Administration (FDA)
Part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
What they do:
  • Enforces the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and related public health laws.
  • Jurisdiction over domestic and imported food sold in interested commerce, including shell eggs, bottled water, wine beverages with less than 7 percent alcohol, but not meat and poultry
  • Sets labeling standards for food products
  • Inspects and approves food products for wholesomeness and safety
  • Develops codes and interpretations of regulations for use by business and state regulatory agencies
  • Develops Good Manufacturing Practices, HACCP, and other production standards
  • May request a recall of unsafe food products
   Branches:
  • Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN): Promotes public health by making sure that food is safe, nutritious and wholesome, and cosmetics are safe; food and cosmetics are honestly, accurately and informatively labeled.
Contact:
Northeast Regional Office
158-15 Liberty Avenue
Jamaica, NY 11433-1034
718.662.5416
Fax: 718.662.5434
New England District Office
One Montvale Ave.
Stoneham, MA 02180
78l.596.7717
Fax: 78l.596.7896

​Northeast Center for Food Entrepreneurship (NECFE)
Provides comprehensive assistance to beginning and established food entrepreneurs
Contact:
New York State Food Venture Center
Cornell University/NYSAES
Food Research Lab 
630 W. North Street
Geneva, NY 14456
315.787.2273
Email: necfe@nysaes.cornell.edu
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​MASSACHUSETTS

Department of Public Health
Information and application for food processing and/or distribution at wholesale
Contact:
Department of Public Health
Division of Food and Drugs
Food Protection Program
305 South Street
Jamaica Plain, MA  02130
617.983.6712
Fax: 617.524.8062
Department of Food and Agriculture
Information on farmers markets, agricultural statistics, farm market information
Contact:
Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture www.state.ma.us/dph/fpp/fpp.htm
251 Causeway Street, Suite 500
Boston, MA  02114
617.626.1700
Bureau of Markets 
Assistance for Specialty Food Producers
Contact:
Bonita Oehlke
Program Coordinator
Foreign Trade, Specialty Foods
Bureau of Markets
Division of Ag Development
251 Causeway Street, Suite 500
Boston, MA  02114
617.626.1753
e-mail: Bonita.Oehlke@state.ma.us
University of Massachusetts – Department of Food Science
Does extension work, may assist with product approval and testing.
Contact:
Chenoweth Lab
University of Massachusetts
Box 31410
Amherst, MA  01003-1410
413.545.2276
Fax: 413.545.1262
Email: maryp@foodsci.umass.edu
Chamber of Commerce 
A membership-based organization advocating business advancement, economic growth and job creation for the benefit of the communities we serve in the Southcoast region of Massachusetts
New Bedford Area 
Chamber of Commerce
794 Purchase Street 
New Bedford, MA 02740
508.999.5231 
Fax: 508.999.5237 
Email: info@newbedfordchamber.com

Financial Resources for Small Businesses:
Small Business Development Centers
Looking to start a food business in our area? 
Contact:
Southeastern Massachusetts Regional SBDC 
200 Pocasset Street 
Fall River, MA 02721
508.673.9783
Fax: 508.674.1929
USDA Rural Development
State Office
451 West Street, Suite 2
Amherst, MA  01002-2999
413.253.4300
Fax: 413.253.4337

Rhode Island Small Business Development Center (RISBDC) (http://www.risbdc.org/)
Johnson & Wales University
8 Abbott Park Place
Providence, RI 02903

USDA Rural Development
Warwick Service Center
60 Quaker Lane, Suite 44
Warwick, RI  02886
401.826.0842
Fax: 401.828.6042
Email: david.delisle@ri.usda.gov

Publications of Interest

From Kitchen to Market: Selling Your Gourmet Food Specialty, 3rd Edition
This introduction to the specialty food industry, geared more marketing and product positioning than culinary or production expertise, lets you in on the secrets of successfully launching a gourmet food product.
By Stephen F. Hall, Dearborn Trade
Paperback, 240 pages
Upstart Publishing Company, Chicago  800.235.8866
Small-Scale Food Entrepreneurship: A Technical Guide for Food Ventures 
Designed to increase awareness of food processing and safety issues.  Provides the reader with the basic knowledge and vocabulary necessary to ask questions and understand answers relating to owning and operating a specialty food business.
Paperback, 108 pages
Publications are available from Northeast Center for Food Entrepreneurship (NECFE) To order this guide contact Judy Anderson 315.787.2273 or email jla2@cornell.edu
The Massachusetts Food Processors Resource Manual
A practical guide for specialty food and start-up food processors
Published by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) 
Paperback, 76 pages
Download a copy on-line or contact Bonita Oehlke 617.727.3018 ext.172 or emailbonita.oehlke@state.ma.us 
Also from MDAR, Consider Selling at Farmers’ Markets (http://www.mass.gov/agr/markets/farmersmarkets/consider_selling.htm)
Venture
A Newsletter for the Small Scale Food Entrepreneur 
Published by NECFE, NYS Food Venture Center, Geneva, NY
available electronically as pdf files or by contacting Judy Anderson 315.787.2273 or 888.624.6785, or email jla2@cornell.edu
Food for Thought
A Newsletter of the Massachusetts Specialty Food Association (MSFA)
Published quarterly by MSFA, Groton, MA
Available electronically for members or by contacting Carol Coutrier 508-457-5346 or 800-813-5862 or email ccoutrier@aol.com

Food Entrepreneur
Karen Cantor, Publisher
Post Office Box 10152
Greensboro, NC  27404-0152
910.855.6665
Specialty Food Magazine
Products, trends, and your business in perspective…
Publishing insightful and actionable articles from leading food and business journalists and retail practitioners
Published monthly (except in February, August, and December) by the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade
Subscription $30 per year, subscribe on-line or by contacting Specialty Food Magazine at 888.230.6561

RHODE ISLAND

Department of Agriculture
Listing of farmer’s markets, food processors, regulations governing eggs, vegetable sales
Contact:
Rhode Island Department of Agriculture (http://www.health.state.ri.us)
235 Promenade Street
Providence, RI  02908-5767
401.222.2781
Fax 401.222.6047
Department of Health
Mainly food service oriented information and regulation.  Regulations impact food safety
Contact:
Rhode Island Department of Health
3 Capitol Hill
Providence, RI  02908
401.222.2231
TTY: 1.800.745.5555
Fax: 401.222.6548
University of Rhode Island – Department of Nutrition & Food Sciences   
Outreach in areas of food safety, seafood
Contact:
College of the Environment and Life Sciences
Department of Nutrition & Food Sciences
106 Ranger Hall
Kingston, RI  02881
401.874.2253
Fax: 401.874.5974
E-mail: mcald@uri.edu
Extension Contacts:
Marjorie Caldwell
University of Rhode Island
Cooperative Extension Service
530 Liberty Lane
West Kingston, RI   02892-1802
401.874.2254
Fax: 401.792.2994
Email: mcald@uriacc.uri.edu
Martha S. Patnoad
Cooperative Extension Service
University of Rhode Island
East Alumni Avenue
Kingston, RI  02881-0804
401.874.2960
Fax: 401.874.4017
Email: mpatnoad@uri.edu
Chamber of Commerce
A membership-based organization advocating business advancement, economic growth and job creation for the benefit of the communities we serve in the Newport County of Rhode Island.
Newport County
Chamber of Commerce
45 Valley Road 
Middletown, RI 02842
401.847.1600 
Fax: 401.849.5848 
Email: info@newportchamber.com
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Links

  • For information on how to incorporate agricultural initiatives into community and regional planning, contact: www.mass.gov/ocd
  • For information on the Commonwealth Capital Fund and an application: www.mass.gov/eocd/docs/commonwealthcapitalapplication.doc
  • For environmental questions or information contact: www.mass.gov/envir
  • For general information on agricultural topics and programs MA Department of Agricultural Resources: www.mass.gov/agr
  • For Agricultural Land Preservation: www.mass.gov/agr/landuse/APR/index.htm
  • To form a municipal Agricultural Commission or pass a “Right to Farm” by-law:www.mass.gov/agr/agcom/index.htm
  • For information about helping farmers keep their families on the land and keep sprawl from consuming their farms, see the Farm Viability Enhancement Program:www.mass.gov/agr/programs/farmviability
  • For information about Farmers’ Markets: www.mass.gov/agr/markets/farmermarkets
  • For information on Farmstands, The Massachusetts Association of Roadside Stands and Pick Your Own Farms (MARS): www.massfarmstands.com/
  • For information on Food Co-ops: www.coopdirectory.org/directory.htm
  • For information about Community Supported Farms (CSA):www.biodynamics.com/csa.html
  • For information on eating seasonally and locally, the Northeast Regional Food Guide:www.nutrition.cornell.edu/foodguide/archive/index.html
  • For information on Agri-Tourism Farms:www.mass.gov/agr/massgrown/agritourism_farms.htm
  • For buyers/businesses to connect with local growers and producers to access fresh local foods and farm produce www.umassd.edu/semap/b2b/b2b.cfm
  • For water quality issues see the Agricultural Enhancement Program:www.mass.gov/agr/programs/aeep
  • For additional agricultural resources, the New England Small Farm Institute:www.smallfarm.org
  • Massachusetts Municipal Association: www.mma.org
  • To find out about local and national farmland related issues: www.farmland.org
  • To connect with the Massachusetts Geographic Information System: www.mass.gov/mgis
  • To connect withThe Dartmouth Grange WIKI: www.dartmouthgrange.wetpaint.com
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    • Patrons Hall
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