Have you been thinking about bottling and selling your secret barbecue sauce?

Does everyone want to buy your family's tried-and-true sausage faster than you can make it?

Do you make a food product that everyone says you should put on the market?

Then you should consider attending Starting a New Food Business in Georgia, a one-day workshop that's designed to offer information on evaluating, starting and running a business that produces and sells food products.

This seminar at the Extension Food Science Teaching Facility at the University of Georgia in Athens presents an overview on food safety, business and other requirements for operating a food business in the state of Georgia.

Program highlights include a roundtable discussion with several finalists from the recent Flavor of Georgia food product contest sharing their experiences and challenges in starting, running and growing a food business in Georgia.

University of Georgia Extension faculty from the school's department of Food Science and Technology and the Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development will address topics including:

• Evaluating the feasibility of a new business
• Planning and funding
• Exploring legal and regulatory issues
• Critical quality and safety concerns
• Effective packaging of food products
• Reviewing production strategies
• Options for marketing your product

Preregistration is required, and payment must be received by Friday. To ensure that all registrants get optimum training and instruction, this workshop will be limited to 40 on a first-come, first-served basis. The registration fee includes instruction materials, lunch and refreshment breaks.

Debbie Wilburn is county extension agent in family and consumer science with the Hall County Extension. Contact: 770-535-8290.