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PORTLAND - Meatless jerky. Heart-healthy vegetable dip. Maybe you've daydreamed about putting your grandmother's barbecue sauce on grocery store shelves. Now you can go to "food school" and learn how to create a new food product or business.

Oregon State University and Washington State University will offer a program called "Northwest Food Business 101: Helping New Food Industry Entrants" in Portland Friday, June 6, from 1 to 5 p.m.

"It's an introductory workshop for the novice designed to offer a basic overview for those who are contemplating or are actually starting a new food business," said Aaron Johnson, food business strategies program leader at the Food Innovation Center. The center in northwest Portland is operated by OSU and the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

"People decide to start a food business for numerous reasons," said Johnson. "The list includes capturing more value for agricultural products, having a family recipe they believe is unique, and enjoying food enough to make it the centerpiece of a second career."

The workshop will address technical, regulatory and businesses issues.

"The overall goal is to tame the chaos surrounding the process of starting and running a food business," Johnson said.

The Food Innovation Center plans to offer additional workshops that will help Oregonians with other aspects of starting and operating a food business, according to Johnson.

To sign up for "Northwest Food Business 101," call the Food Innovation Center at 503-872-6674 or e-mail Johnson at: aaron.johnson@oregonstate.edu. The registration fee is $40.

The Food Innovation Center is a branch of OSU's Agricultural Experiment Station committed to innovation that fosters the success of food and agricultural enterprises. It is at 1207 N.W. Naito Parkway, near Union Station, across the street from Albers Mill.