bake sales
Having a bake sale? Learn about what foods are allowable and why.
FYI, bake sales do not require a temporary food license as long as they meet the listed criteria!
bed and breakfasts
Bed and breakfast establishments located in Somerset County that serve hot meals to renters must be licensed and inspected by the Somerset County Health Department to ensure compliance with food safety.
A bed and breakfast is defined as a lodging or rooming house having eight or fewer rooms for rent. These establishments are able to serve “hot meals” to renters (not restricted to breakfast only). For these eight room or fewer establishments that serve only to their renters, there is not a requirement to have commercially equipped kitchens. Facilities that have nine or more rooms or serve to anyone outside of their renters are subject to more extensive requirements and regulations.
Please contact Somerset County Health Department’s Environmental Health Program at 443-523-1700 with any questions or concerns and to initiate compliance with these requirements.
Bed bugs (Cimex species) are small, flat insects. Bed bugs bite people and animals at night while they sleep, feeding on their blood.
Bed bugs are reddish-brown in color, are wingless, and range from 1mm to 7mm in size (roughly the size of Lincoln’s head on a penny). They can live several months without a blood meal.
Bed bugs are found all over the world. Bed bugs are in five-star hotels and resorts. How clean a place is does not determine whether bed bugs are present.
Bed bugs are not known to spread diseases to people. They can cause irritation and itching. Removal from dwellings can be expensive and difficult.
Somerset County Health Department does not have any regulations related to bed bugs.
Click here for information on ways to prevent bed bug infestations.
house bill 272: on-farm food service facilities
An On-Farm Food Service Facility (FSF) is a food establishment located on a working farm that prepares and serves food directly to the consumer.
The On-Farm FSF licenses has been a temporary 30-day license issued by the local health departments (LHDs) for working farms offering food made on-site directly to customers visiting the farm. This 30-day license can be renewed up to two times in a 1-year period.
House Bill 272 (Food Establishments – Lavatory Requirement and On-Farm Food Service Facility License) changes the On-Farm FSF license from a limited, 30 to 90-day operating period to an annual license. This change will provide licensees greater flexibility, permitting them to prepare and serve food on their farm year-round instead of a one to three-month window. This will take effect in 2027.
Additionally, HB 272 removes “chemical” as a specific type of portable toilet allowing more options for certain food establishments to comply with the convenient lavatory requirement of FSF licensure.
The Maryland Department of Health is hosting public meetings to gather input on House Bill (HB) 272, the On-Farm Food Service Facility regulation development.
Sign up for updates or register for a meeting at bit.ly/4v6eDUS.
The Eastern Shore regional meeting will be held on July 20, 2026, 1–3 PM at the Somerset County Technical High School, 7994 Tawes Campus Dr, Westover, MD 21871
Click here for the meeting agenda.
Click here to read the full text of the bill.
holiday food safety
indoor air quality
Poor indoor air quality can cause or contribute to the development of infections, lung cancer and chronic lung diseases such as asthma.
People who already have lung disease are at greater risk.
Air quality concerns include mold, radon, carbon monoxide, and tobacco smoke/secondhand smoke, asbestos, and lead.
Air quality can be improved by several means:
Source control
Improved Ventilation
Air cleaners/filtration
Click on each topic to learn more!
Click here for information on common indoor air quality factors.
pool safety
Visit Guidelines for Keeping Your Pool Safe and Healthy for more pool safety information.
RADON
Visit the Maryland Department of Health’s Radon Safety Page to learn more about Radon.
