Food Safety

https://dphhs.mt.gov/publichealth/FCSS/ 

On this web page you will find links available to help: 

• • File Food safety Complaint 
  • Obtain and renew license for food 

• • Locate County Environmental Health (Sanitarian) Offices 
  • Obtain Certified Food Protection Manager Trainings 
  • Contact Food and Consumer Safety 
  • Farmers Market, Cottage Food, Bed and Breakfast Regulations 
  • Schools, Daycares, and Community Homes Regulations 

• • Retail Food and Wholesale Food Establishment Regulations 

https://montana.edu/mmec/ 

MMEC provides Montana manufacturers with hands-on assistance plus the knowledge and resources needed for growth, innovation, and profit enhancement.  Staffed by proven professionals with extensive manufacturing and business experience in a variety of industries, our team can help you achieve positive, measurable, and sustainable growth for your top and bottom line.  Their areas of expertise include product development, workforce development, food safety, Lean manufacturing and more.

In the area of Food Safety, we provide support to the growing number of food manufacturers, food processors, brewers, and distillers in our state through food safety classes, assessments, resources and guidance.  For more details, see the MMEC Food and Beverage Industry Services webpage.

FADC Centers (mt.gov)  

FADC Centers help Montanans innovate and grow businesses that produce and commercialize food, agricultural and renewable energy products, and processes, creating wealth and jobs in our communities and on our farms and ranches. The centers - located throughout Montana - operate as a statewide network serving community-based businesses. The centers support economic development by ensuring that more of the state's food, agricultural and energy dollars circulate in Montana.  

The network provides training, coaching and technical assistance, including: 

• • Product development, testing and analysis 
  • Regulatory compliance training 

• • Food processing 
  • Business planning and development 
  • Market research 
  • Business networking 
  • Access to financing 

• • Cooperative development 
  • Education on industry dynamics and technologies

Food Safety - Farm Link Montana 

Farm Link Montana is a website developed and managed by Community Food & Agriculture Coalition to help farmers and ranchers find information in one location to create successful and sustainable farms and ranches in Montana. Programs that link beginning farmers with internships, mentorships, and land. They also offer an online clearinghouse of tools, people, and resources for Montana to help you get to farming. 

Resources on the site include:  

• • Business startup 
  • Farm site evaluation 
  • Production planning 

• • Marketing 
  • Farm finances 
  • Legal and risk management including food safety, securing land and other resources.

A sanitarian is an investigator of health and safety within an environment.  This may be the workplace, food preparation facilities, industrial producers, or even the general environment.  Sanitarians not only enforce health and safety regulation, but they also identify risk factors between people and in specific spaces. 

Your county sanitarians can help with the following: 

• •   Observe conduct in facilities to ensure that the spread of disease is minimized. 
  •   Educate individuals and the public on proper methods to reduce contamination. 
  •   Develop general protocols for industrial and public hygiene. 

• •   Enforce current regulations for health in community practices. 
  •   Monitor the handling and disposal of wastes within businesses, hospitals, and the public sector. 

 

Montana State University Extension is your home for research-based resources in agriculture, horticulture, community, youth, and family. 

Your county Extension Agent that specializes in Family Consumer Science is a great resource for food safety.  

• • Food Manager Certification, some Agents offer ServSafe certification or other State supporting food safety training. These classes or exams will give a better understanding of how to handle food to serve it safely.  See classes below.  Contact your local MSU Extension agent for more information and/or if you do not see a class listed. 
  • Many county agents are also Master Food Preservers and can offer research-based information on food preservation and canner pressure gauge testing. 
  • Some counties offer food preparation classes that feature food safe tips and strategies. 
  • Call with any food safety question!

Food Testing Lab | Bozeman, MT | Clear Brew Technologies 

Clear Brew technologies offers a wide variety of services for farmers, brewers, and producers alike. Help and resources they provide include: 

• • HACCP consultation and writing 
  • Allergen testing 

• • Nutritional labeling 
  • Shelf stability testing  
  • Food safety plan writing or review 
  • ABV% or microbial testing 
  • Product testing 

Food Product Development Lab - Food Product Development Lab | Montana State University 

Developing healthy and eco-friendly food products that honor Indigenous and local communities and their foods through creative partnerships and innovations. Key project areas include: 

• • Indigenizing food science for food sovereignty 
  • Globalizing Montana specialty crops  

• • Strengthening MSU farm to campus initiative

State Food Safety

State Food Safety Website

Online certification training with online proctored exam costs $124.00

8 hours of mobile-friendly online training, a free practice test and an online proctored exam.

State Food Safety Food Safety Manager Certification Information 

How to take the food manager certification exam while social distancing

Information for online proctored exam

Learn2Serve

Learn2Serve food manager certification course information

Montana Learn2Serve Food Manager Certification Course information

Cost is $99.00

Take an 8-hour online training course that reviews the food safety principles you need to know to pass the exam, as well as prevent foodborne illnesses. The Food Protection Manager Certification Exam is proctored online using the webcam on the computer. The exam will be proctored by one of our online proctors. Our online proctoring is available Monday – Friday between 7am to 10pm (CST). To access your exam, simply launch the course in the 360training LMS and follow the steps provided.  Detailed instructions for the online exam. 

ServSafe

Servsafe website

Offers online Manager Certification Training; not offering online proctoring for online exams at this time.

Certification lasts 5 years. 

Cost for online training and online exam voucher $152.92

Must complete the online course within 90 days of launching it.

No time limit between completing the class and taking the certification exam (The online exam voucher does not expire.)

Professionals take the online training, then they need to find their own proctor to oversee the online exam.

       Options for finding a proctor to administer the online exam:

1. Contact your local county Extension Agent
2. Contact your local county Health Department, Registered Sanitarian
3. Use the Find a Proctor tool on the Montana Department of Health and Human Services website (please note, this list may not include all proctors).
4. Use the zip code search tool to find a proctor near you on the ServSafe website.

National Registry of Food Safety Professionals

Visit the Exam Center for all information and links

Offers online Manager Certification Training for $137.99 and online proctored exam for $35.99- contact Wendy Wedum at wendy.wedum@montana.edu (in Conrad, MT) for more information. 

Food Manager Certification training –easy, flexible training options, including self-study and online courses

Food Safety Manager Certification Training Information                   

Food Manager Certification is good for 5 years

Offers 2 self-study courses (via printed study guides) to prepare for the exam –

Each study guide costs $26.00 + shipping ; online proctored exam costs $35.99 

Prometric

Prometric Website

Prometric Food Safety Testing

Prometric Certified Professional Food Manager Exam 

Online proctoring available https://securereg3.prometric.com/ProgramInformation.aspx?mode=schedule

SURE Food Safety Manager Online Course w/ Exam Option online training costs $135.00 plus cost of the manual $26.95 = total $161.95

Paster Training Inc.

Paster Training Home

Many in-person trainings have been canceled or postponed due to the current public health COVID-19 situation.  See online training and exam options above or contact your local Extension or Sanitarian to see if they are able to proctor in-person Servsafe exams at this time. Please note, while the Serv Safe certification course has typically been the most common choice in Montana, any of the above online Manager certification options are approved for use in Montana. 

Check out listing for upcoming classes through MSU Extension or partner agencies in your area. Contact your local Sanitarian in your county Environmental Health office to determine if there are other course options not listed. 

 

Contact for Next Class Date	Servsafe Food Handlers Certification Course	Plentywood, MT Contact: Roubie Younkin, MSU Extension Valley County 406-228-6241 email: kay.younkin@montana.edu
8-Hour- ServSafe Manager Course is October 1, 2024, at the Carbon County Extension Office at 202 State Street, Joliet, MT, and starts at 8:30 am Register here: https://montana.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0pwl80k6xjSgkdM	8-hour Servsafe Manager or 4-hour Food handler	MSU Extension, Carbon County 202 State Street Joliet, MT Contact Carrie Guderjahn with questions at: 406-962-3522 carrie.guderjahn@montana.edu
Tuesday, September 10, 2024 8:30 am Fort Benton Register at https://forms.office.com/r/cWTdmhRWYV Registration deadline is August 21 For additional classes - contact Janell, Chouteau County MSU Extension 406-622-3036	8-hour Servsafe Food Manager Certification Course and 4-hour Food Handler	MSU Extension, Chouteau County 1308 Franklin St Fort Benton MT Contact Janell Barber with questions at janellb@montana.edu or 406-622-3751
Next Class: October 4, 2024 ServSafe Food Manager Course & Certification Exam-  Register on this  webpage form	8-hour Servsafe Manager or 4-hour Food handler	MSU Extension, Glacier County Cut Bank, MT Contact Lisa Terry with questions: 406-872-2239 lterry@montana.edu
Contact for Next Class Date	8-hour Servsafe Manager or 4-hour Food handler	MSU Extension, Hill County 315 4th Street  Havre, MT Contact Kati Purkett with questions at: 406-400-2333 katherine.purkett@montana.edu
Contact for Next Class Date	4-hour Food handler	MSU Extension, Park County Livingston, MT Veronica Baca with questions: 406-222-4156 veronica.baca@montana.edu
Upon Request	NRFSP Food Manager Certification (online option) or Re-certification (no class)	MSU Extension, Pondera County Contact Wendy Wedum 20 4th Ave W, Suite 213 Conrad, MT 59425 Office: (406) 271-4052 wendy.wedum@montana.edu
Upon Request	8-hour Servsafe Manager or 4-hour Food handler	Richland County Stephanie Ler at 406-433-2207
Aug 20, 2024 Register by Aug 5, 2024 here: https://forms.gle/a7ZceV8yvmcoyT2x6	8-hour Servsafe Food Manager Certification Course	MSU Extension, Stillwater County  Fee $100 - 17 N. 4th Street P.O. Box 807 Columbus, MT 59019 Tel: (406) 322-8035 haley.barker@montana.edu
Upon Request	4-hour ServSafe Food Handler or NRFSP Food Manager Certification (online option) or Re-certification (no class)	MSU Extension, Teton County Contact Shelby Jones-Dozier 1 Main Ave. South Choteau, MT 59422 Office: (406) 466-2491 shelby.jonesdozier@montana.edu
Contact for Next Class Date	8-hour Servsafe Food Manager Certification Course	MSU Extension, Yellowstone County Visit this MSU Extension Yellowstone County website to register and for more information.  Contact:  Sara Fluer 406-256-2828 email: sara.fluer@montana.edu
Upon Request	8-hr Servsafe Food Manager or 4-hr Servesafe Food handler	Mike Callaghan 406-208-0078 mike@callaghan-ent.com

 

ServSafe is a nationally recognized food safety training program for the food service industry personnel. Created and managed by the National Restaurant Association, it combines critical information, exclusive tools, and real-world resources to transform knowledge into action. ServSafe has evolved to meet the most urgent food safety training challenges in the food service industry and offers the highest standard of food safety training and certification.

 

Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services provides guidance and FAQ’s around the registration and appropriate sale of homemade or home-canned foods. Contact your local Sanitarian in your county Environmental Health office for specific cottage food guidance in your county. For assistance with cottage food label development (available in some counties) or answering food preparation questions your local MSU Extension agent.

MT DPHHS Farmer's Market and Cottage Food Resources