Contacts for food, health and nutrition

For foodservice managers and employees

Certification renewal

Renew your food manager certification through our online course.

Check the registration and access section if you have a technical question about the online course, including how to print certificate of completion.

Still have a question? Contact exfdsafe@umn.edu.

Initial certification

Extension no longer offers initial food manager certification. Visit Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to find answers to all Certified Food Manager (CFM) questions including where and when classes are offered, if your certification has expired, how to process your paperwork and more.

For food entrepreneurs 

Cottage foods

Have a question about making and selling food from your home? View our cottage food course and resources. Still have a question? Contact exfdsafe@umn.edu.

Food processors

Contact Joellen Feirtag (jfeirtag@umn.edu) for information on consulting services and fees.

For home preservers or home cooks

You can find many answers on this website—try:

• Instructions for canning, freezing, drying, pickling, or other preserving topics.
• Storing food, dates on food products, etc.
• Sanitation and illness

Still have questions? Call or email our AnswerLine. 

AnswerLine

Are you looking for reliable, research-based answers to your everyday questions? Then AnswerLine is for you! The AnswerLine staff have been answering consumers questions for over 30 years. Contact AnswerLine to get information about:

• Safely cooking, canning and freezing foods.
• Cleaning stains and mildew from homes and clothes.
• Dealing with floods and other household issues.

1-800-854-1678 (Minnesota)
1-800-262-3804 (Iowa)
1-888-393-6336 (South Dakota)

Calls are answered Monday through Friday between 9 a.m.–12 noon and 1–4 p.m. Only those calling from a Minnesota, Iowa or South Dakota area code will be able to access the AnswerLine phone service.

You can also send an email.

AnswerLine is brought to you by University of Minnesota Extension and Iowa State University Extension, with support from USDA, the state of Minnesota, county governments and grants.

Other questions

Direct other questions to exfdsafe@umn.edu.

Farmers markets and Power of Produce (PoP) Club — contact Susan Draves.

Email us for general questions.

Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) — Contact a SNAP-Ed staff near you on the SNAP-Ed site.

Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) — contact Cassandra Silveira.

Systems and food networks:

• Systems Approaches for Healthy Communities
• Food networks
• Minnesota food charter
• Minnesota food charter network: Engagement
• Healthy food, safe food

Building better food shelves programs.

Email us for general questions.

Project breakFAST toolkit — For more information contact Mary Schroeder.

Farm to school — contact Stephanie Heim.

School foodservice training and resources — contact Kelly Kunkel.

Child care providers — contact Mary Schroeder.

Email us for general questions.

Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) — Contact a SNAP-Ed staff near you on the SNAP-Ed site.

Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) — contact Cassandra SIlveira.

Cooking Matters Minnesota® — contact CeAnn Klug.

Email us for general questions.

For questions on health insurance, health care directives, long term care decisions and protecting the health of older adults contact us using the form below.

For questions about stress, change and mental health contact Cari Michaels.

For questions about Children, Youth & Family Consortium (CYFC), use the form below.