Become a UC Master Food Preserver

The UC Master Food Preserver Program is open to individuals looking to increase community knowledge in home food preservation methods. Applicants for the UC Master Food Preserver Program must be willing to share knowledge and skills learned from certification training through local community outreach. Prior food preservation knowledge is not a requirement; willingness to teach others is.

Examples of community outreach from UC Master Food Preservers:

Classes and workshops
Hands-on demonstrations
County fairs
Websites and blogs
Print and digital media

How UC Master Food Preservers make a difference:

Teach safe and food preservation methods in local communities
Share knowledge about preserving fresh and healthy produce
Prevent botulism in home canning
Promote research-based methods of food handling and food preparation

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Request More Info

Thank you for your interest in becoming a UC Master Food Preserver Volunteer. Note: This is a request for more information, NOT an application.

If you live in a California county with an existing UC Master Food Preserver Program, you will receive instructions on how to contact your local program coordinator. If you live in a county without a UC Master Food Preserver Program, you will receive information about the nearest program and resources to learn more about food preservation online.

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Master Food Preserver Training Courses

Once accepted into the UC Master Food Preserver program from a local UCCE county office, applicants will receive more than 50 hours of training over the course of 16 weeks from University of California division of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Training topics include:

Food safety
Equipment
Boiling water and pressure canning
Canning jams and jellies
High acid foods
Low acid foods
Pickling
Dehydration
Freezing and refrigeration
Teaching and program implementation

In exchange for education and certification, new UC Master Food Preservers are required to volunteer a minimum of 50 hours in the first year and 25 hours each year subsequently. UC Master Food Preservers must complete a minimum of 12 hours of continuing education per year, starting their second year.