Farmers Markets, essential food providers, may operate following safety guidelines

— from Brendan Cowan, Department of Emergency Management —

Farmers markets in San Juan County are essential providers of locally grown, healthy foods.

Our farmers markets have an important role in sustaining the local food chain, and have been working with San Juan County Health & Community Services to ensure safety precautions are in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Decisions around timing of potential openings will be
made by market management and communicated to the public directly by the farmers markets.

While the safety protections will change how the markets typically operate when they open, those protections are in place to ensure public safety and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

What to expect if you go:

• Monitor your health. Do not attend the market if experiencing even mild symptoms, including a cough, fever, or shortness of breath
• Wash hands before and after attending the market
• Everyone, including vendors and staff, are advised to wear a face covering
• Crowd size will be limited – observe social distancing by keeping a distance of 6 feet or greater between yourself and others
• Booths will be spaced out to allow for physical distancing
• Customers should move through the market in one direction
• Do not linger in any one place
• Only essential items will be allowed for sale
• Samples are prohibited
• Customers will not be allowed to touch any items before buying
• Food should be pre-packaged as much as possible
• Vendors will need to wash or sanitize hands, or change gloves, between touching money or high touch-point devices, such touchscreens, and touching food
• Wash hands frequently. Hand washing stations will be available at the market
• Once home, rinse produce thoroughly before consuming

If you choose not to go to the market, there are other ways to help support our islands’ farm community. You may consider buying directly from a farm or produce stand or sign up for a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) box. Check your favorite farm’s web page or social media site for more information.