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The following article was first
published in The Day on 7/17/07. It is being republished here
with the permission of The Day.
Free Samples Banned At Farmers' Market
Stonington sanitarian cites health concerns; some upset by
ruling
By Joe Wojtas, Published on 7/17/2007
Stonington — No more free slices of Portuguese sweet bread. No
more tastes of salsa and dip. No more chunks of fresh tomato. No
more free samples of any kind.
That's what customers at the weekly Stonington Farmers Market at
the Town Dock discovered Saturday when they strolled along the
tables set up by vendors. They could buy items but couldn't
taste them first.
The ban was the result of a report by a state health department
epidemiologist who happened to visit the market as a customer
two weeks ago. He was concerned about the safety of the free
samples, such as dip in bowls, and items such as coffee and
lemonade that were being sold. He notified Town Sanitarian Karen
Weiss.
Weiss then told market organizer Stuart Vyse last week that
vendors could not give out free samples or sell non-farm items
to eat on the town property because that violated rules she had
set for the market two years ago. Weiss said those guidelines
reflect the state Department of Agriculture's idea for the
markets, which is to sell products grown on a farm or produced
on a farm such as cheese or pies. She said the rules do not
allow cooking, preparation of food, or the sale of other items
such as the coffee and lemonade.
“Some of the things being done down there are not what the
Department of Agriculture is promoting,” she said. “Open
containers of food are a concern anywhere.”
Weiss said she and First Selectman William Brown will meet with
Vyse on Wednesday to work out a solution for the rest of the
season, which ends Oct. 13. After that, she said, they will work
on a plan for the future.
But Brown said Monday he thought, pending the meeting with Vyse,
that the market would be able to continue operating as it has in
the past and give out free samples.
“There's no reason to make a change. There's no health hazard
down there,” he said.
One vendor not happy with Saturday's decision was Mary Soares,
who makes Portuguese sweet bread with farm products. She has
sold the bread at the market since it began 10 years ago.
“When you try to describe your product to someone, whether it's
my bread or someone's goat cheese, it's so much easier to just
tell them, 'Try it,' ” Soares said. “It works for me. They walk
away eating a slice and then they do a three-sixty. They come
back to my table and I got a customer.”
Without being able to hand out samples, Soares said it was
difficult to get new customers on Saturday. She said many people
who come to the market look forward to munching on a slice of
her bread while they walk among the vendors.
“I told them I can't give out any samples,” she said. “I was
tempted to just cut them a slice and see what happened.”
Soares said she sees no difference between samples at the market
and those given out at grocery stores and the mall. Those
locations, however, are subject to regular inspections. Soares
said she holds a bakery license and the market vendors have
insurance.
As for why events such as the Blessing of the Fleet and the
Village Fair can sell food, Weiss said those events are
temporary in nature and do obtain a permit. If the market wants
to sell coffee, lemonade and other food, she said additional
approvals would be needed from the town.
Vyse said he is worried the market could lose vendors because of
the policy. He said the vendors participate in other markets
across the state where they are allowed to hand out free
samples.
“It seems to me there are ways it can be done if the local folks
are willing to work with us,” he said. “Hopefully we can work
something out.”
The market is sponsored by the nonprofit Village Improvement
Association, which sells the coffee that was banned on Saturday.
Vyse serves on its board.
“We do this as a gift to the community. It's become a highlight
of Stonington summers,” he said. “We wouldn't want anything to
hurt it.”
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