Food Product Liability Workshop Series

Understanding Liability and Opportunities for Selling Food Under the New Montana Local Food Choice Act

November 3, 2021 - November 10, 2021

Workshop Details

The new Montana Local Food Choice Act (or Food Freedom Law) opens up opportunities for producers and small businesses to sell additional food products without a license. These products include:

Raw milk and dairy products
Poultry
Fermented foods, like pickles, kimchi, and more
Pestos, salsas, sauces, and other processed goods
Foraged foods, like mushrooms
Perishable baked goods
Processed and frozen vegetables
Prepared meals

Producers who wish to sell any of the above products should be aware of the liability risk of selling without a license, registration, or inspection. That’s why this November, in partnership with Farm Commons, AERO is hosting two free digital workshops addressing the opportunities and risks associated with the sale of food under the new Food Freedom Law. Farm Commons is the leading national resource for farmers and ranchers providing knowledge and skills needed to resolve key legal vulnerabilities. The series is designed to support producers and farmers’ market managers in understanding the new law and the steps to take against possible liability issues.

Workshop 1: Legal Liability and Food Related Incidents

November 3, 2021, 3:00-4:00pm

This first workshop will focus on the general legal concepts surrounding liability, especially for food related incidents. We will outline when and how legal liability for a food related incident is assigned and how producers and food business owners generally manage these liabilities.

This workshop is designed to help producers manage liability and develop legal resilience regardless of whether their product is exempt from licensure under the Food Freedom Law.

View Recording of Workshop 1

Workshop 2: Decoding Montana Food Freedom

November 10, 2021, 3:00-4:30pm

This second workshop focuses on the recently passed Montana Local Food Choice Act, also called the Food Freedom Law. The workshop will help producers, food manufacturers, cottage food operators and farmers’ market managers understand what is and is not permitted under the new law, clarifying the opportunities and challenges presented by the Montana Local Food Act. It will also highlight the effect of the law on traditional legal liability for a food related incident.

View Recording of Workshop 2