Regulatory Resources

Food and Drug Administration

Part of the United States Department of Health and Human Services

What they do:

• Protect American consumers by enforcing the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and related public health laws.
• Jurisdiction over domestic and imported food sold in interstate commerce, including shell eggs, bottled water, wine beverages with less than 7 % 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:

Regional FDA offices are located in the blue pages of the phone book.
FDA’s Outreach and Information Center:
Phone: 888-723-3366
Website: http://www.fda.gov
Website: http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/CentersOffices/OfficeofFoods/CFSAN/

Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)

Part of the United States Department of Agriculture

What they do:

• Conduct slaughter inspection of all carcasses at meat and poultry slaughtering plants.
• Conduct processing inspection for sanitation, cleanliness, labeling and packing at meat and poultry processing facilities.
• Are currently increasing emphasis on HACCP in the entire meat and poultry production chain.
• Approve meat and poultry product labels.

Contact:

FSIS Food Safety Education and Communications Staff
Room 1175, South Building,
1400 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20250
The Meat and Poultry Hotline: 1-800-535-4555
Website: http://www.fsis.usda.gov

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

Enforcement of tax laws, tax collection.

Branches:

• Small business, self-employed section: http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses.
• Contact information by state: Contact-Your-Local-IRS-Office.

Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SARE)

Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program

What they do:

• Works to increase knowledge about and help farmers and ranchers adopt practices that are economically viable, environmentally sound and socially responsible.
• Administers a competitive grants program.
• Regional administrative councils recommend projects to be funded after proposals go through technical peer review.
• Regional councils also provide policy direction and identify information needs for the SARE program.
• SARE's Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) provides electronic and print publications on topics ranging from small dairy farm concerns to organic farming with an emphasis on sustainable agriculture.

Northeast Region SARE:

Lists of links, news on SARE in the Northeast, link to a database of funded projects.
http://www.nesare.org

Northeast Regional Contacts:
Fred Magdoff, Coordinator
University of Vermont
Hills Building
Burlington, VT 05405-0082
Phone: (802) 656-0471/(802) 656-0554
Fax: (802) 656-4656
Website: http://www.sare.org
Email: bholtzma [at] zoo.uvm.edu (bholtzma[at]zoo[dot]uvm[dot]edu)

Service Corp of Retired Executives (SCORE)

Service Corp of Retired Executives in Partnership with SBA

What they do:

• Offer counseling for small business owners
• Provide seminars specializing in aiding formation, growth, and success of small business.

Contact:

SCORE Association
409 3rd Street, SW
6th Floor
Washington, DC 20024
Phone: 1-800-634-0245
Website: http://www.score.org

Seafood Inspection Service

Part of the United States Department of Commerce / National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

What they do:

• Provide voluntary inspection services to the seafood industry.
• Provide HACCP plan training, development and compliance services.
• Conduct product quality evaluation, grading and certification.
• Consultation is available.
• PDF versions of training and educational materials are available at the website.

Contact:

Seafood Inspection Program
1315 East-West Highway
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Phone: 301-713-2355
Phone: 800-422-2750
Email: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/insight/noaas-seafood-inspection-program

* there is a charge for services

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is part of the U.S. Treasury Department.

What they do:

• Regulates the qualification and operation of distilleries, wineries and breweries.
• Regulates importers and wholesalers.
• Regulates labeling of products containing alcohol.
• Examines and approves all label applications for misleading information and adherence to regulatory mandates.

Branches:

• Scientific Services Division (SSD): Operates four laboratories: the Beverage Alcohol Laboratory, the Nonbeverage Alcohol Laboratory, the Compliance Laboratory, and the Tobacco Laboratory. The Compliance Laboratory provides support to TTB through routine product integrity testing and by monitoring the regulatory compliance of both beverage and nonbeverage alcohol products.
  • Compliance monitoring of beverage and nonbeverage alcohol products submitted as the result of product integrity inspections of wineries, breweries, distilleries, and manufacturers of nonbeverage products to ensure regulatory compliance.
  • Alcohol Beverage Sampling Program to check products in the retail market for regulatory compliance.
  • Sulfur dioxide waiver requests for wines.
  • Special testing for the evaluation of new wine making processes.
  • Mycotoxin contamination in wine and malt beverages.
  • On-site technical assistance to the regulated industries and to TTB investigators.

Contact:

Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)
1310 G Street, NW., Box 12
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202-453-2000
Email: TTBInternetQuestions [at] ttb.gov (TTBInternetQuestions[at]ttb[dot]gov)
Website: https://www.ttb.gov/https://www.ttb.gov/

United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

Part of the United States Department of Homeland Security

What they do:

• Primary enforcement agency protecting U.S. borders.
• Enforce import/export laws and regulations.
• Enforce public health and safety laws, intellectual property rights.

Relevance to Small Business

• As required by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act, 1996:
  • Provides a Regulatory Fairness Representative to serve the small business community in regard to customs regulations and penalties.
  • Partners with the Small Business Administration to provide training programs and education material on Customs regulations and law to small business.

Contact:

Mr. Herman L. Shivers
The Small Business Specialist for U.S. Customs and Border Protection
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20229
Phone: 202-927-1440
Email: herman.t.shivers [at] cbp.dhs.gov (herman[dot]t[dot]shivers[at]cbp[dot]dhs[dot]gov)
Website: http://www.cbp.gov

Information on Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act:
http://www.sba.gov

United States Small Business Administration (SBA)

United States Small Business Administration (SBA)

What they do:

• Offer a variety of programs through which small businesses can secure loans from bank. The loans are guaranteed by the SBA but administered by the lending institution.

Programs:

• SBA Small Business Development Centers (SBDC): business owners receive technical advice for managing their business.
• Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs): privately owned and operated companies which supply equity capital, long term loans and management assistance to qualifying small businesses.
• Specialized SBICs (SSBIC): provide assistance solely to small businesses owned by socially or economically disadvantaged persons.
• Women's Business Centers (WBCs): home-based businesses, corporate executive downsizing and welfare-to-work with emphasis on concerns of women in small business.

Contact:

Your Local SBA Office "US Government" in your telephone directory, or
SBA Answer Desk: 1-800-U-ASK-SBA
Email: answerdesk [at] sba.gov (answerdesk[at]sba[dot]gov)
Fax: 202-205-7064
TDD: 704-344-6640
Website: http://www.sba.gov

Women's Business Center Contact:

Phone: (202) 205-6673
Email: owbo [at] sba.gov (owbo[at]sba[dot]gov)
Website: https://www.sba.gov/about-sba/sba-locations/headquarters-offices/office-womens-business-ownership
Business Startup Center: http://www.sba.gov/about-offices-content/1/2895

Connecticut Agencies associated with the Specialty Food Business

The following Connecticut Agencies, provided with contact information, impact the Specialty Food Business. Please refer to your phone book for local agencies, chambers of commerce, and local health department information.

List of State Agency web sites: http://www.ct.gov/agencylist

Connecticut Food Business Agencies

Department of Agriculture

Meat and poultry production operations, shellfish regulations, milk and milk product production. List of farmers markets, agricultural statistics.

• Specialty food assistance
• Licenses and permits
• Farmer’s markets

State of Connecticut Department of Agriculture
765 Asylum Avenue
Hartford, CT 06105
Phone: 800 861-9939
Phone: 860 713-2500
Fax: (860) 713-2514
Email: ctdeptag [at] po.state.ct.us (ctdeptag[at]po[dot]state[dot]ct[dot]us)
Website: http://www.ct.gov/doag/

Department of Consumer Protection

Kosher foods, baked goods, bottled apple juice & cider, frozen deserts, alcoholic beverages.

The Agency's Divisions include Food and Standards, Drug Control, Liquor Control, License Services, Trade Practices, Product Safety, Real Estate and Professional and Occupational Trades and the Lemon Law Auto Dispute Settlement Program.
Licenses & permits.

165 Capitol Ave.,
Hartford, CT 06106
Phone: 1-800-842-2649
Phone: 860-713-6300
Fax: 860-713-7239
Website: https://portal.ct.gov/dcp

Department of Public Health

Food Protection Program
Mainly food-service related regulations

410 Capital Avenue
P.O. Box 340308
Hartford, CT 06134-0308
Phone: 860-509-8000
TDD: 860-509-7191
Website: http://www.ct.gov/dph

Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut (NOFA CT)

Organic certification

NOFA/CT Office: P O Box 386
Northford, CT 06472
Phone: (203) 484-2445
Fax: (203) 484-7621
Website: https://ctnofa.org/

Connecticut General Business Agencies

Department of Economic and Community Development

DECD develops strategies and programs to attract and retain businesses and jobs, revitalize neighborhoods and communities, ensure quality housing, and foster appropriate development in Connecticut’s cities and towns.
Economic information, loan programs, small business assistance programs, export assistance

State of Connecticut
Department of Economic and Community Development
505 Hudson Street
Hartford, CT 06106-7107
Phone: 1-860-270-8000
Website: http://www.ct.gov/ecd/

Connecticut Licensing Info Center

This website provides access to all licensing and permitting activities across Connecticut State government.
Website: http://www.ct-clic.com/

CERC (Connecticut Economic Resource Center, Inc.)

Private, non-profit corporation providing Business assistance: planning, marketing campaigns, economic data, etc.
In partnership with the Department of Economic & Community Development
Website: http://www.cerc.com

Connecticut Economic Resource Center, Inc.

805 Brook Street, Building #4
Rocky Hill CT 06067-3405
Phone: 860-571-7136
Fax: 860-571-7150
Toll-free: 1-800-392-2122
E-mail: webmaster [at] cerc.com (webmaster[at]cerc[dot]com)

Connecticut Small Business Development Corporation

University of Connecticut
368 Fairfield Road
U-41, Room 422
Storrs, CT 06269-2041
Phone: 203-486-4135
Fax: 203-486-1576

Connecticut Small Business Administration Office

Connecticut District Office
330 Main Street, 2nd Floor
Hartford, CT 06106
Phone: 860-240-4700
Fax: 860-240-4659
Website: http://www.sba.gov/ct

Maine Agencies associated with the specialty food business

The following Maine Agencies, provided with contact information, impact the Specialty Food Business. Please refer to your phone book for local agencies, chambers of commerce, and local health department information.

List of Agences: https://www.maine.gov/portal/government/state-agencies/

Maine Food Business Agencies

Department of Agriculture

Division of Quality Assurance and Regulations
Licensing of home Food Manufacturing

28 State House Station
Augusta, Me 04333
Phone: (207) 287-3871
Fax: (207) 287-7548
Website: http://www.state.me.us/agriculture/homepage.htm

Department of Public Health

Website: http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/

Maine Division of Health Engineering
Restaurant Regulation
157 Capitol St.
10 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333-0010
Website: http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/environmental-health/index.shtml

Maine General Business Agencies

Department of Economic and Community Development
Office of Business Development

Website: https://www.maine.gov/decd/home
Assistance locating funding, addressing state licensing requirements, business location assistance, MaineMade marketing program.

DECD
59 State House Station
August, Maine 04333
Phone: 207-287-3153
Fax: 207-287-5701

Maine Small Business Development Centers

Business counseling, training, resources. All locations listed.

96 Falmouth Street
P.O. Box 9300
Portland, ME 04104-9300
Phone: (207) 780-4420
Fax: (207) 780-4810
TTY: (207) 780-5646
Email: msbdc [at] usm.maine.edu (msbdc[at]usm[dot]maine[dot]edu)
Website: http://www.mainesbdc.org/

Get Real. Get Maine

Farmers market listings, stores, fairs, etc.

Email: getrealmaine [at] state.me.us (getrealmaine[at]state[dot]me[dot]us)
Website: http://www.getrealmaine.com

U.S. Small Business Administration Maine District Office

Website: https://www.sba.gov/offices/district/me/augusta

Business assistance, funding, loans Maine District Office

Edmund S. Muskie Federal Building, Room 512
40 Western Avenue
Augusta, Maine 04330
Phone: (207) 622-8274
Fax: (207) 622-8277

New Ventures Maine

Real estate, financing information, links to economic development resources, business resources.
Works to connect agencies providing assistance to small businesses. Puts small businesses in touch with these agencies.

Website: http://newventuresmaine.org/programs/start-a-business/

Massachusetts Agencies associated with the Specialty Food Business

The following Massachusetts Agencies, provided with contact information, impact the Specialty Food Business. Please refer to your phone book for local agencies, chambers of commerce, and local health department information.

List of Agency Sites: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-state-organizations-a-to-z

Massachusetts Food Business Agencies

Department of Public Health

Licensing for food processing facilities

Food Protection Program
305 South Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Phone: 617-083-6700
Fax: 617-983-6770
Website: http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/departments/dph/programs/environmental-health/food-safety/

Department of Agricultural Resources

Information on farmers markets, agricultural statistics, farm market information

251 Causeway Street, Suite 500
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: (617) 626-1700
Website: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-department-of-agricultural-resources

Market Development and Food System Planning

Assistance for Specialty Food Producers
Department of Agricultural Resources
251 Causeway Street, Suite 500
Boston, MA 02114-2151
Contact: Bonita Oehlke, Program Coordinator
Phone: 617-626-1753
Email: Bonita.Oehlke [at] mass.gov (Bonita[dot]Oehlke[at]mass[dot]gov)
Website: https://www.mass.gov/guides/agricultural-grants-and-financial-assistance-programs

Massachusetts General Business Agencies

Massachusetts Office of Business Development

relocation, expansion services, business assistance, licensing, permit information

10 Park Plaza, Suite 3730
Boston, MA 02116
Phone: 617-973-8600
Fax: 617-973-8554
Website: http://www.mass.gov/hed/economic/eohed/bd/
Step by Step Guide to Starting a Business: http://www.mass.gov/hed/business/start-business/new-business-steps.html

Supplier Diversity Office (SDO)

The Supplier Diversity Office (SDO) continues its rich and long tradition of service to minority and women owned businesses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In addition to its service to minority and women business enterprises, the SDO has the responsibility to certify businesses that meet certain criteria. SDO certification is a marketing tool used to enhance a firm's ability to do business in public markets. Although certification does not guarantee that a business will be successful every time it bids, it may add a competitive edge to a bid. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts spends more than $4 billion each year doing business with firms. More than $240 million of this amount is targeted to SDO certified minority and women businesses. Becoming SDO certified can help firms seeking contracts with the government.

Phone: 617-727-2040
Fax: 617-727-2779
Website: Supplier Diversity Office

U.S. Small Business Administration

Massachusetts District Office
10 Causeway Street
Boston, MA 02222-1093
Phone: 617-565-5590
Fax: 617-565-5598
Website: http://www.sba.gov/ma

New Hampshire Agencies

The following New Hampshire Agencies, provided with contact information, impact the Specialty Food Business. Please refer to your phone book for local agencies, chambers of commerce, and local health department information.

List of Agency Sites: https://www.nh.gov/government/agencies.htm

New Hampshire Food Business Agencies

Department of Health and Human Services

Website: http://www.dhhs.state.nh.us/index.htm

Food Protection

Licensing and inspecting retail foodservice establishments including: restaurants, grocery stores, caterers, mobile food units, bakeries, home food manufacturers/processors. Also approves plan reviews for new and remodeled food service establishments.
Acts as the State Shellfish Sanitation Control Authority for the commercial sale and processing of shellfish.

Food Protection
Division of Public Health Services
NH Department of Health & Human Services
29 Hazen Drive
Concord, NH 03301-4604
Phone: (603) 271-4589
Phone: 1-800-852-3345 ext 4589 (in state)
Fax: (603) 271-4859
Email: foodprotection [at] dhhs.state.nh.us (foodprotection[at]dhhs[dot]state[dot]nh[dot]us)
Website: http://www.dhhs.state.nh.us/dphs/fp/
View a list of Self-Inspecting cities and towns in New Hampshire.

Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food

PO Box 2042
Concord, NH 03302
Phone: 603-271-3551
Fax: 603-271-1109
Website: http://agriculture.nh.gov

Bureau of Markets
Oversees Farm products for sale. Certifies farms as Organic.
Phone: 603-271-2753, 3685

Agriculture Development
Phone: (603)271-3788

Plant Industry
Phone: (603)271-2561

Weekly Market Bulletin
Phone: (603)271-2505

Weights & Measures Bureau
Phone: (603)271-3700

NH Specialty Food Association

We provide marketing, business and product development assistance to specialty food processors at all levels; from pre-venture to established companies, and promote an active state-wide network for marketing and selling specialty foods in and out of the region.

NH Specialty Food Association
7 Wall St.
Concord, NH 03301
Phone: (603)224-9698
Email: nhcooks [at] nh.ultranet.com (nhcooks[at]nh[dot]ultranet[dot]com)
 

University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension

Agricultural marketing assistance, sustainable farming, business assistance
Safe Food Handling for Specialty Food Producers - programs and publications

State Office
Taylor Hall, UNH
59 College Road
Durham, NH 03824-3587
Phone: 603-862-1520
Website: https://extension.unh.edu/topics/agriculture-horticulture

New Hampshire General Business Agencies

Office of Business and Industrial Development

Marketing assistance, Business development assistance, training programs

172 Pembroke Road
P.O. Box 1856
Concord, NH 03302-1856
Phone: 603.271.2591
Fax: 603.271.6784
Website: http://www.nheconomy.com

NH Corporation Division

Business registry, forms for form-of-business registration

State House, Room 204
107 North Main Street
Concord, NH 03301
Phone: 603-271-3244
Website: https://sos.nh.gov/corporation-ucc-securities/corporation/online-business-services/

Department of Revenue Administration

Taxation information, registration

45 Chenell Drive,
PO Box 457
Concord, NH 03302-0457
Phone: 603- 271-2191
Fax: 603- 271-6121
Website: http://www.state.nh.us/revenue/
TDD Access: Relay NH 1-800- 735-2964

NH Business Finance Authority

Information on the programs and loan guarantees offered by the Authority to small businesses in New Hampshire.

14 Dixon Avenue, Suite 101
Concord, NH 03301
Phone: (603) 271-2391
Fax: (603) 271-2396
Website: http://www.state.nh.us/bfa/bfa.htm

US Small Business Administration
New Hampshire Division

New Hampshire District Office
143 N. Main Street
Concord, NH 03301
Phone: 603-225-1400
Fax: 603-225-1409
Website: http://www.sba.gov/nh

New York Agencies associated with the Specialty Food Business

The following New York Agencies, provided with contact information, impact the Specialty Food Business. Please refer to your phone book for local agencies, chambers of commerce, and local health department information.

New York Food Business Agencies

Department of Agriculture & Markets

Food safety, food labeling, licensing, Farmers Markets, press releases, agriculture statistics.
Website: http://www.agriculture.ny.gov

Food safety & labeling Program information: http://www.agriculture.ny.gov/FS/FSHome.html

New York General Business Agencies

Department of State

Business information, business registry, state information links.

NYS Department of State
41 State Street
Albany, NY 12231-0001
Fax: (518) 474-4765
Phone: (518) 474-0050
E-mail: info [at] dos.ny.gov (info[at]dos[dot]ny[dot]gov)
Website: http://www.dos.ny.gov/

New York State Online Permit Assistance and Licensing

Website: https://www.ny.gov/services/licenses

Empire State Development

Business services, starting a business in NY, incentive program outlines
Phone: 800-782-8369
Website: https://esd.ny.gov/

Co-headquarters:
Albany Empire State Development
30 South Pearl Street
Albany, NY 12245

New York City Empire State Development
633 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10017-6706

Small Business Administration District Offices

New York District Office
26 Federal Plaza, Suite 3100
New York, NY 10278
Phone: 212-264-4354
Website: http://www.sba.gov/ny

Syracuse District Office
401 S. Salina Street, 5th Floor
Syracuse, NY 13202
Phone: 315-471-9393
Fax: 315-471-9288

Buffalo District Office
111 West Huron Street, Suite 1311
Buffalo, NY 14202
Phone: 716-551-4301
Fax: 716-551-4418

Taxation and Finance

Small Business Information: https://www.tax.ny.gov/tra/resolve.htm

NYS Tax Department
Taxpayer Assistance Bureau
W. A. Harriman Campus
Albany, NY 12227
Phone: 1-800-225-5829
TDD: 1-800-634-2110

Rhode Island Agencies Associated with the Specialty Food Business

The following Rhode Island Agencies, provided with contact information, impact the Specialty Food Business. Please refer to your phone book for local agencies, chambers of commerce, and local health department information.

Rhode Island Food Business Agencies

Department of Health

Mainly food service oriented information and regulation. Regulations impact food safety.

3 Capitol Hill
Providence, RI 02908
Phone: 401-222-2231
Fax: 401-222-6548(fax)
Tty: 1-800-745-5555
Website: https://health.ri.gov/

Department of Agriculture

Listing of farmers markets, food processors, regulations governing eggs, vegetable sales.

235 Promenade Street
Providence, RI 02908-5767
Phone: (401) 222-2781
Fax: 401-222-6047
Website: http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/agriculture/

Rhode Island General Business Agencies

First Stop Business Center

Assistance with regulations and requirements for business operations in Rhode Island.

148 West River Street
Providence, RI 02904-2615
Phone: (401) 222-2185
Fax: (401) 222-3890
Email: businessinfo [at] sos.ri.gov (businessinfo[at]sos[dot]ri[dot]gov)
Website: http://sos.ri.gov/business/businessinfo/

Department of Business Regulation

The Department's primary function is the implementation of state laws mandating the regulation and licensing of designated businesses, professions, occupations and other specified activities.

1511 Pontiac Avenue
Cranston, RI 02920
Phone: (401) 222-2246
Fax: (401) 222-6098
TDD: (401) 222-2223
Website: https://dbr.ri.gov/

Rhode Island Commerce

Website: https://commerceri.com/

Rhode Island Minority Business Enterprise

To file as a Minority, Women- owned, or Disadvantage business

Minority Business Enterprise Compliance Office
One Capitol Hill
2nd Floor
Providence, Rhode Island 02908
Contact: Mr. Charles Newton
Website: http://www.mbe.ri.gov/

Vermont associated with the Specialty Food Business

The following Vermont Agencies, provided with contact information, impact the Specialty Food Business. Please refer to your phone book for local agencies, chambers of commerce, and local health department information.

List of Agency Sites: https://www.vermont.gov/government/agency-a-z

Vermont Food Business Agencies

Department of Agriculture, Food and Markets

Meat inspections, maple dealer/processor licenses, egg and poultry inspections, seal of quality program, agricultural development programs.
Website: http://www.agriculture.vermont.gov

Dairy Section
Phone: (802) 828-2433

Consumer Assurance
Phone: (802) 828-3458

Agricultural Development
Phone: (802) 828-3829

Department of Health

Food safety information and evaluation

Division of Health Protection
Vermont Department of Health
108 Cherry Street
Burlington, VT 05402-0070
Website: http://www.state.vt.us/health/healthpr.htm

Food & Lodging
Phone: (802) 863-7221

Vermont General Business Agencies

Small Business Administration Vermont District

business assistance, funding information

P.O. Box 605
Montpelier, VT 05601
Phone: 802-828-4422
Fax: 802-828-4485
Website: https://www.sba.gov/offices/district/vt/montpelier

Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA)

Financing, funding programs including:
Vermont Small Business Development Corporation (VTSBDC)
Provides loans between $2,500-50,000.

58 East State Street, Suite 5
Montpelier, Vermont 05602
Phone: (802) 828-5627
Fax: (802) 828-5474
Email: info [at] veda.state.vt.us
Website: http://www.veda.org/

Vermont Small Business Development Center

training programs, free business counseling:Business Start-Ups, Business Plan Development, Acquisition, Marketing, Expansion, Capital Formation, Financial, Environmental Assistance

SBDC Lead Center
P.O. Box 188
Randolph Center, VT 05061-0188
Phone: (802) 728-9101
in VT: 1-800-464-7232
Fax: (802) 728-3026
Website: http://www.vtsbdc.org/

List of links to Local Development Corporations: http://www.veda.org/partners/

You can find out more information on starting a business.

IdeaCafe.com

Business information from marketing to planning and legal requirements. Entrepreneur profiles, chat rooms, expert advice, information on grants and e-marketing.
Website: http://www.ideacafe.com

National Association for the Self Employed

Advocacy, information and legislative summaries with a small business focus. Offers membership benefits. Has lists of links to entrepreneurship and financial resources. 
Website: http://www.nase.org

FOODTECH Canada 

A great resource for all food processors, Canadian or otherwise. U.S. processors should refer to U.S. regulations, not those referred to on this site. Includes information on setting up and running a small scale food business, marketing ideas, equipment, and business planning.
Website: https://www.foodtechcanada.ca/

Virginia Cooperative Extension - Starting a Food Processing Business in Virginia

Online resource available for download as a PDF file. Contains basic information for anyone interested in starting a food processing business as well as federal resource link and Virginia-specific resources.
Website: https://ext.vt.edu/food-health/food-innovations.html

© 2020 Cornell University

Resources from Cornell Dairy extension:

https://cals.cornell.edu/dairy-extension/what-we-do/food-safety-resources/regulatory-resources

National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, Inc
Information about past and upcoming Fancy Food Shows. Information for exhibitors, attendees, etc.
Website: http://www.fancyfoodshows.com

New York State Small Scale Food Processors Association
The Small Scale Food Processors Association is a working group of processors, as well as support organizations The association addresses the concerns of many small scale processors within New York State. It is made up of 11 Regions across New York State, including New York City and Long Island.
Website: http://www.nyssfpa.com/

Vermont Specialty Foods Association
Lists of links to member companies. Members range from small scale food processors to label design consultants and insurance providers.  

Vermont Food Venture Center
The mission of the Vermont Food Venture Center is to provide the needed resources for entrepreneurs to start a specialty food business and/or to help grow an existing business.  The Center also strengthens the Vermont agricultural industry by assisting and developing value-added products and providing on-going technical assistance to the State's specialty food producers.  The Center is owned and operated by the Center of an Agricultural Economy
Website: http://www.hardwickagriculture.org/for-food-businesses/vermont-food-venture-center

Produce Marketing Association (PMA)
Non-profit organization whose members market fresh produce. Information on industry trends, conferences, trade shows. Also provides food safety links.  
Website: http://www.pma.com/

United Fresh Produce Association (United Fresh)

The industry's leading trade association, committed to driving the growth and success of produce companies and their partners. United Fresh represents the interests of member companies throughout the global, fresh produce supply chain, including family-owned, private and publicly traded businesses as well as regional, national and international companies. 

Website: https://www.unitedfresh.org/

ATTRA - Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas
The national sustainable farming information center operated by the private nonprofit National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT). Provides technical assistance to farmers, Extension agents, market gardeners, agricultural researchers, and other agricultural professionals in all 50 states. Information on: sustainable farming production practices , alternative crop and livestock enterprises , innovative marketing. Technical assistance, publications, and resources are provided free of charge to appropriate users.    
Website: http://www.attra.org

Agricultural Marketing Resource Center
AgMRC - The Agricultural Marketing Resource Center is an electronic, national resource for producers interested in value-added agriculture. Browse commodities and products, investigate market and industry trends, study business creation and operation, read research results and locate value-added resources.
Website: http://www.agmrc.org/

The International HACCP Alliance

Developed on March 25, 1994. It is housed within the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M University. The International HACCP Alliance was developed to provide a uniform program to assure safer meat and poultry products. Site includes: latest regulatory and industry HACCP news, International HACCP training schedule, downloadable monthly information sheets.    
Website: http://www.haccpalliance.org

Seafood Network Information Center

Web site for the Sea Grant Extension Program, Food Science & Technology, University of California, Davis. Site includes: list of Seafood related events around the world, links to HACCP information at many governmental levels, links to nutrition, marketing and regulatory information for Seafood Products including international regulations.    
Website: http://seafood.oregonstate.edu

American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP)
North America's largest meat trade organization. Membership includes medium-sized and smaller meat, poultry and food business: slaughterers, packers, processors, wholesalers, in-home food service business, retailers, deli and catering operators, and industry suppliers. Site has links to publications, news, and resources.   
Website: http://www.aamp.com/

American Meat Science Association (AMSA)
Mission is to provide the forum for all interests in meat - commercial, academic, government and consumer - to come together in a reasoned, scientifically-based atmosphere and address the needs of the processing and marketing segments of industry, the consuming public, its own members and others in the biological and nutritional sciences. Site includes news, extensive list of links to government and industry, calendar of events.  
Website: http://www.meatscience.org/

North American Meat Institute (NAMI)
NAMI is a national trade association that represents companies that process 95 percent of red meat and 70 percent of turkey products in the US and their suppliers throughout America.

Headquartered in metropolitan Washington, DC, NAMI keeps its fingers on the pulse of legislation, regulation and media activity that impacts the meat and poultry industry and provides rapid updates and analyses to its members to help them stay informed. In addition, NAMI conducts scientific research through its Foundation designed to help meat and poultry companies improve their plants and their products. The Institute's many meetings and educational seminars also provide excellent networking and information-sharing opportunities for members of the industry.
Website: https://www.meatinstitute.org/

The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN)
FAAN aims to increase public awareness of food allergies and anaphylaxis, to provide education, and to advance research on behalf of all those affected by food allergies. Site includes extensive information on food allergies, recalls due to undeclared ingredients, summaries of research articles.
Website: http://www.foodallergy.org

Food Safety.gov - Gateway to Governmental Food Safety Information
Umbrella site for governmental food safety information. Site includes: links to consumer and producer food safety regulations and issues, links to federal food safety agencies, food safety alerts, information on food borne pathogens and an area to submit food safety complaints. 
Website: http://www.foodsafety.gov