Vendors who wish to sell food products at agricultural markets located in Central Texas must comply with a variety of regulations. These regulations are set by the federal government, the state of Texas, the Austin Department of Health, and Travis County. In accordance with Senate Bill 617 (87th Legislature, 202), chapter 437 of the Texas Health and Safety Code has been amended to include agricultural markets and home-cooked foods in Texas. A seller is defined as any market participant who submits a sales request, pays a registration fee, has the approval of the market team as a supplier, and pays the weekly fees required to attend the market and sell their products.
It is important to note that plastic sample spoons are not allowed, and the sale of items packaged together is not allowed (farmers and ranchers are exempt if the products are produced by the supplier, as determined by the TFM management team on a case-by-case basis). In order to ensure that appropriate food safety practices are followed at agricultural market events, farmers and food producers who plan to sell food products at agricultural markets located in areas that are under the jurisdiction of local health departments must obtain a permit from the local health department or department. If the food vendor participates in a cooking demonstration “in good faith”, the farmers' market must have a certified food manager. Market visitors can park in any of the surface parking lots (even in churches) or in street parking spaces.
Market artists, including musicians, street musicians and characters, often have space in the market to sell products at no cost. The Texas Department of Health Services has the authority to inspect all food vendors who must obtain a temporary food establishment permit at a farmers' market. Texas farmers' markets offer another option for farmers, food producers and other vendors to sell their products to the public. A farmers market must include at least two vendors who meet the definition of a farmer as defined in paragraph (of this section) and may include vendors who meet the definition of food producer as defined in paragraph () of this section.
They are subject to approval by the Mesquite Center Development Manager and the Farmers Market Manager. In addition, a farmers' market can include vendors other than farmers or food producers, as long as farmers and food producers make up the majority of vendors participating in the market year-round. City, county, or state departments may have market space at no cost, with the approval of the Mesquite downtown development manager and the farmers' market manager.
