Food Safety of Farmers Market: A similar and simplified regulatory framework needed

Farmers market is enjoying increasing popularity in recent years for its advantages in building sustainable communities. Like other emerging markets that grow faster than their management capacity, however, hidden perils of the farmers market are becoming visible. Food safety is one key issue being endangered as the market expands. Being temporary and open in its form, most farmers markets do not have market entry standard, food inspection procedure, and customers do not get receipts for their purchase. The market management insufficiency give rise to various food safety concerns, including food authenticity, food quality, and food safety as a whole. Lack of a comprehensive food safety regulation framework would impede the market’s sustained growth in the next 15 years. A safe farmers market would benefit communities in social, economical, and ecological aspects. We analyze characteristics of farmers market, evaluate current policies, and find that a new regulatory framework is in need for farmers market’s food safety. The regulatory framework should be similar in substance but simplified in form to fit the structural characteristics of farmers market. In the market, farmer vendors and consumers should work together for greater food safety.