How can we help?

With more than 22,600 farms and 4.6 million acres of farmland, South Carolina is driven by agriculture. Agribusiness (agriculture + forestry) is the state’s No. 1 industry, accounting for nearly 260,000 jobs and $51.8 billion in annual economic impact.

Retail Food Trainings

2026 Special Process Workshops for Retail Food Industry Partners

Each workshop is focused on a specific type of special process, and provides the necessary guidance to assist our industry partners in completing the required approval process successfully. These workshops are also offered as continuing education to regulatory inspectors and staff of our partners in other jurisdictions.

Those interested in participating in any of these workshops should email food-variances@scda.sc.gov to be added to the mailing list for invitations. Invitations with registration information will be sent five to six weeks before the beginning of each workshop.

Questions?

Download the flyer
All times are Eastern Time Zone

Reduced Oxygen Packaging / HACCP

These workshops cover vacuum, modified atmosphere, controlled atmosphere packaging, and application of HACCP and the FDA Food Code to these processes. Each workshop consists of 2 sessions. There will be a lunch-on-your-own break during the March 2 and August 16 sessions.

August 10 & 17

9:00 am – 1:00 pm / 9:00 am – 2:30 pm

Virtual   /   In Person + Virtual 

Register Here

Acidification Processes

Presented in collaboration with Clemson University Cooperative Extension. Instruction will be provided on the science of both direct acidification processes such as canning, pickling, and packaging of acidified foods, and on fermentation processes. There will be a “laboratory” session in which participants will practice pH testing, including calibration of pH meters. There is a nominal fee covering the cost of lunch and materials. Registration will be hosted by Clemson University Extension.

April 23

9:15 am – 4:30 pm

In Person

September 22

9:15 am – 4:30 pm

In Person

Meat Preservation and Curing / HACCP

This workshop covers requirements for various types of meat preservation (with and without curing), and application of HACCP and the FDA Food Code to these processes. When there is interest, we also cover hot smoking of fish for preservation. There will be a lunch-on-your-own break during the October 12 session.

October 5

9:00 am – 1:30 pm

Virtual 

October 12

9:00 am – 2:30 pm

In Person + Virtual 

Clouds
Farm
Animals