The UC Master Food Preserver Program of San Mateo & San Francisco Counties 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
Volunteer Training:
UC Master Food Preserver volunteers receive an intensive 50-hour training program in home food preservation. Instruction provides practical courses in the following topics
- Food safety
- Boiling water and atmospheric steam canning
- Pressure canning
- Canning jams & jellies
- Pickling and fermenting
- Dehydrating fruits and vegetables
- Freezing foods
Classes meet several times a month, with multiple hands-on labs to learn the food preservation techniques, with outside study in addition to class time. Quizzes, special projects and a final examination prepares the trainees to begin their first year of volunteer service.
Application Process
Who Can Apply
Priority given to San Mateo and San Francisco County residents. Residents of other counties will be considered only with the approval of the coordinator and County Director. Applicants must be comfortable using a computer and accessing the internet. Class lessons, quizzes and homework are online using Google Classroom; class communication is via email.
How to Apply
Attend an online informational meeting to learn about the volunteer requirements as well as the selection and training process. Attendance or viewing the recording of the information meeting is a mandatory prerequisite to apply. Three live Q&A sessions are available to address any questions you have about the new volunteer training program.
- Thursday, September 18, 2025: 6:30–7:30 pm
Watch the recording here - Friday, October 3, 2025: 12:00–1:00 pm
Q&A session, please watch the recorded training information meeting prior to meeting - Friday, October 17, 2025: 2:00–3:00 pm
Q&A session, please watch the recorded training information meeting prior to meeting - Thursday, November 20, 2025: 6:30–7:30 pm
Q&A session, please watch the recorded training information meeting prior to meeting
These sessions use the same registration link: https://link.ucanr.edu/mfp-infomtg.
Complete and submit the online application by the end of Sunday, November 23, 2025. Interviews will be conducted during the early weeks of December with the local programs.
What We’ll Do
Review applicants. Main criteria for acceptance:
- Prior community service
- Experience teaching, either by giving presentations, writing, or in one-on-one situations
- Experience/interest in home food preservation.
- Request a DOJ Clearance, including fingerprinting.
- Offer two online training tracks to choose from either Thursday evenings from 6:30 – 8:30 or Friday afternoons from 2:00 – 4:00. Once accepted, students will choose which track they will attend throughout the training program. (Students who miss a class may join the other track to make up a missed lesson.) Hands-on lab classes will include students from both online tracks.
- Teach you how to preserve food successfully using scientifically researched home processes.
- Teach you how to educate our community about safe home food preservation.
- Provide you with plenty of fun volunteer and continuing education opportunities.
What You’ll Do If Accepted
- Pay the $500 course fee by December 15, 2025.
- Attend the 12 classes in the track you select (Thursday evenings or Friday afternoons). Make up any missed classes by viewing video recording and reviewing with your mentor.
- Attend the 8 in-person classes at Elkus Ranch (various Saturdays, 10 am-3pm). Attendance at all in-person classes in mandatory.
- Complete the Live Scan fingerprinting process by February 13, 2026. Forms are sent with the acceptance notification.
- Attend monthly program business meetings, generally on the fourth Thursday of the month at 5pm on Zoom.
- Attend at least one public class hosted by a UC Master Food Preserver Program, either in person or online, by April 24, 2026, as part of your training program.
- Complete 50 volunteer hours your first full program year, then 25 volunteer and 12 continuing education hours each year thereafter.
- Pass an annual food safety/preservation reappointment quiz
- Have fun!
If you have residence in another county, please see the Find a UC Master Food Preserver Program website to find your nearest program.
Questions? Send us an email: smsfpreservers@ucanr.edu
The University of California Division of Agriculture & Natural Resources (UC ANR) is an equal opportunity provider.
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