Feb. 14 webinar to discuss creating, safely processing value-added food products in Arkansas

“Homemade food products can be extremely beneficial to both the producer and consumer due to their higher market value, and in some cases, longer shelf life. But it’s important to ensure that items sold under the Arkansas Food Freedom Act are processed correctly.” — Renee Threlfall

By Tru Joi Curtis
National Agricultural Law Center
U of A System Division of Agriculture

Jan. 31, 2024

Fast facts:

• Food scientist Renee Threlfall will present the webinar
• Registration is online

(495 words)

(Newsrooms: Graphic available for download)

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Food entrepreneurs know that consumers appreciate the “magic” that turns fresh-picked strawberries into a biscuit-worthy jam, but they also know that following the rules for safe food processing is a must for creating value-added products.

The third "Plan. Produce. Profit." webinar will inform Arkansas food entrepreneurs on creating and processing value-added foods. Renee Threlfall, research scientist with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, will present the webinar on Feb. 14.

In Arkansas, the Food Freedom Act allows producers to sell homemade goods to the public. The process of creating and processing raw ingredients into a value-added product has its challenges.

“Homemade food products can be extremely beneficial to both the producer and consumer due to their higher market value, and in some cases, longer shelf life,” said Renee Threlfall, research scientist with the food science department in the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “But it’s important to ensure that items sold under the Arkansas Food Freedom Act are processed correctly.”

Threlfall will discuss home to commercial production of value-added foods during the third webinar of the three-part “Plan. Produce. Profit.” webinar series, titled “Plan. Produce. Profit: Creating and Processing Value-Added Food Products in Arkansas.” The webinar will be held Wednesday, Feb. 14, at 11 a.m. Central/noon Eastern. Registration is online and free of charge.

Threlfall was recently recognized with the John W. White Outstanding Team Award- Value-Added Food Production at the 2024 Agriculture Awards. NALC Senior Staff Attorney, Rusty Rumley, who presented the first “Plan. Produce. Profit.” webinar, is also a member of that award-winning team.

The “Plan. Produce. Profit.” webinars, which are designed for Arkansas specialty crop producers, are facilitated by the National Agricultural Law Center and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The presentations provide needed information on how to operate within the Arkansas Food Freedom Act and are a continuation of the Plan. Produce. Profit. series from last year.

The series is funded by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture through the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

Arkansas Food Freedom Act

Act 1040 of 2021, which became known as the Arkansas Food Freedom Act, allows Arkansas residents to sell more types of homemade food and drink products in more locations than before, and allows direct sales of certain homemade food and drink products that do not require time or temperature controls to remain safe. Some products, such as pickles, salsas, and canned vegetables, may require pH testing or pre-approved recipes.

The first webinar, “Liability Issues with Food Processing Under the Arkansas Food Freedom Act,” was presented by NALC Senior Staff Attorney Rusty Rumley. The recording of the presentation is available online.

The second “Plan. Produce. Profit.” webinar is titled “An Overview of Arkansas Food Freedom Act and was presented by Jeff Jackson of the Arkansas Department of Health. The recording of the webinar is available online.

For information about the National Agricultural Law Center, visit nationalaglawcenter.org or follow @Nataglaw on X. The National Agricultural Law Center is also on Facebook and LinkedIn.

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About the National Agricultural Law Center

The National Agricultural Law Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law research and information. The NALC works with producers, state and federal policymakers, Congressional staffers, attorneys, land grant universities, and many others to provide objective, nonpartisan agricultural and food law research and information to the nation’s agricultural community.

The NALC is a unit of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and works in close partnership with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural Library.

About the Division of Agriculture

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. The Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service.

The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact dviguet@uark.edu as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.

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Media contact:
Drew Viguet      
Communications & Special Projects Coordinator
National Agricultural Law Center
dviguet@uark.edu