Virginia Farmers Market Food Safety Summit
A webinar for market managers & food vendors covering the ins and outs of food safety requirements in Virginia
Food freshness, short supply chains and excellent traceability make farmers markets ideal venues for food safety. The pride and care market vendors take in preparing and selling their products draws shoppers to our markets. Following safe food handling and preparation practices helps keep them safe and coming back.
In Virginia, farmers market vendors who manufacture, process, pack or hold food for sale are subject to the Virginia Food and Drink Law and related regulations. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (VDACS) Food Safety Specialists, also known as inspectors, ensure that farmers markets are in compliance with these regulations. Food service vendors at farmers markets are permitted by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) provides helpful food safety publications and training.
During this Food Safety Summit, the Virginia Farmers Market Association (VAFMA) brought together representatives from VDACS, VDH and VCE to walk you through the requirements and answer your questions. View the recordings linked below to make sure you are up-to-date on the state’s regulations.
Recordings & Presentation Slides
The Virginia Farmers Market Food Safety Summit occurred March 17, 2023. We have segmented the presentations out below into individual recordings. Click on the links to view the presentation slides and recordings.
The recording links lead to our YouTube Channel. If you need lower resolution files, you can view those here.
We’ve compiled a list of resource links that were shared during the summit.
Speaker Contact Information Sheet
Virginia Department of Health Food Safety at Farmers Markets
Speaker: Peri Pearson, State Food Consultant
Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) Food Safety
Speakers: Pam Miles, Program Supervisor, Food Safety Program & Jessica Swearingen, Food Technical Specialist, Office of Dairy & Foods
VDACS Office of Meat and Poultry Services
Speaker: Peyton Lee, Technical Resource Adviser, Office of Meat and Poultry Services
VDACS Dairy Services
Speaker: Hunter Moyer, Program Supervisor, Dairy Services Program
VDACS Office of Weights and Measures
Speaker: Gary Milton, Program Manager, Office of Weights and Measures
VDACS Produce Safety
Speaker: Kristina Banks, Produce Safety Specialist Senior, Office of Dairy and Foods
Hemp Requirements in Virginia
Speakers: Meagan Musick, Technical Specialist,VDACS Food Safety Program
Erin Williams, Industrial Hemp Program Manager, VDACS
Erin’s Presentation Slides *****
****UPDATED Legislation: effective 7/1/23
Please read this memo regarding amendments to the Code of Virginia impacting hemp products that took effect on July 1, 2023
New Hemp Product Legislation Slides
For more information, visit VDACS’s hemp product enforcement webpage
Extension Resources for Farmers Markets
Speaker: H. Lester Schonberger, Ph.D. Associate Extension Specialist, Department of Food Science and Technology, Virginia Tech
Links Shared:
Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training Course (Virtual Program)
Virginia Cooperative Extension Offices
Virginia Cooperative Extension Programs
Resources for On-Farm Food Safety
Overview of the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule
Is my farm operation covered or exempt from the Produce Safety Rule?
Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training Course (Virtual Program)
Produce Safety Worker Health, Hygiene and Training (Virtual Program)
Food Producer Technical Assistance Network
Extension Master Gardener Program
Questions?
We are working with VDACS, VDH and VCE to get answers to all of your questions.
Other Food Safety Resources
Links shared during the Food Safety Summit
Speaker Contact Information Sheet
Guidelines for Providing Safe Food Samples at the Market
Tent Requirements for Vendors Cooking at Market
Food Truck Wheel Chocks Regulations
5 Things to Do After Right After Visiting Animals
Backyard Flocks and Salmonella
Supporting Partners
Funding for this publication was made possible by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service through grant 21FMPPVA1084. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA.
Funding support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA NIFA award number: Grants 12843216) is acknowledged.