Environmental Services

The Environmental Department deals with inspections and safe practices concerning restaurants, childcare, and lodging. We operate a lab that tests public and private water, ice, and soft serve ice cream samples for bacteriological contaminants. Our staff performs food-borne illness investigations as well as program related complaints. Our staff is also involved with teaching Servsafe courses in Arnold, High Ridge, and Jefferson College.

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  • JCHD food program consists of restaurant/retail inspections, plan review of new operations, temporary food event inspections, and permitting of yearly restaurant/mobile units.

    JCHD requires all temporary events where food is served to the public to obtain a permit. Application fees increase within five days of the event.

    PLEASE BE AWARE: Temporary Food event applications submitted outside of regular business hours (8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Monday - Thursday) are not processed and are not considered "received" until the next business day. Vendors, including those who have submitted applications during non-business hours, shall not operate a temporary food establishment until the application has been processed/approved and a license has been issued.

  • JCHD requires all food handlers to obtain ANSI accredited Food handler or Manager level certification. Training is available online by clicking the resources below.

  • The Jefferson County Health Department recognizes that the direct marketing of agricultural products through Farmers’ Markets is desirable.  When properly operated, Farmers’ Markets provide a communal and economic benefit to both the agricultural community and Jefferson County citizens by providing fresh and wholesome local produce, nuts, honey, jams, jellies, non-potentially hazardous foods such as baked goods, inspected meats, and pet treats in a socially significant setting.  Farmers’ Markets help keep small farms alive.  We further recognize that Farmers’ Markets allow local vendors to market their goods directly to the public near their source of origin.  This creates benefits to vendors, the environment, and the local community.

    There are six Farmers’ Markets within Jefferson County. Each market is headed up by one or more Market Master(s) and the Market Masters are trained by Jefferson County Health Department.  In the interest of food safety, the markets are overseen by JCHD.  

    For additional information and questions, please email communications@jeffcohealth.org Attn: Nancy Radoch or, contact one of the markets below.

  • All facilities, including mobile units, serving or selling food to the public are required to go through the plan review process in order to obtain a food and beverage permit. The plans must show details of the physical facility, including a menu. There is a fee for plan review that must be paid at time of submission.

  • JCHD assists in preventing water-borne illnesses in drinking water from private wells.

    Private well water sample kits for bacteriological testing can be picked up at the Jefferson County Health Department Hillsboro office. All instructions are included in the kit.

    Water samples should be collected and returned to JCHD for the state courier by 11:15 AM Monday-Friday. If you miss that time, you can drop off samples at the Mercy Hospital Jefferson Laboratory by 4:00 PM daily.

    The cost is $10, check or money order only, cash is not accepted.

 

Join the Food Safety Task Force!

The Food Safety Task Force’s mission is to promote collaboration between food protection stakeholders and address issues related to food service facilities within Jefferson County. We would like to recruit local individuals to become members; participation is highly encouraged from the following: local academia and food industry, consumers, and government officials.

 

Additional Resources