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SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 24, 2009
CONTACT: Barb Buhler, 605-773-3361
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 24, 2009
CONTACT: Barb Buhler, 605-773-3361
Farmers markets don’t need state licensure
By Doneen Hollingsworth, Secretary of Health
By Doneen Hollingsworth, Secretary of Health
The July 20 Rapid City Journal article, “Farmers market gets surprise health inspection,” by reporter Jomay Steen requires some clarification.
The Department of Health neither licenses nor inspects farmers markets. In fact, the department has a history of supporting farmers markets as one way to increase fruit and vegetable consumption in our state and has promoted the markets on its www.healthySD.gov web site.
State law does require that individual vendors get a food service license if they sell processed or prepared foods. This requirement applies whether those products are sold at a farmers market or any other setting. Licensure is not required for the sale of whole fruits and vegetables sold at farmers markets.
A state inspector did visit the Black Hills Farmers Market because the department received a complaint about a vendor selling processed foods without a license. This was not an inspection, but rather a courtesy visit to provide notice and information about the need for licensure to those vendors selling processed foods.
The Department of Health has a statutory responsibility to enforce licensure requirements and assure public health and safety standards are met when foods are produced for sale. Protecting the public health by assuring those products are safely prepared is the department’s concern, not the venue where products are sold.