A new state law in South Dakota has state regulators adding new requirements to help ensure safety at local farmers markets.
After taking effect July 1, local food vendors that work out of their home kitchens and not commercial kitchens will now have to label their products with ingredients, contact information and submit their recipes for testing to help ensure better safety.
State Representative Jacqueline Sly, R-Rapid City, the prime sponsor of the bill that became law, said,
"In this day in age with looking at food safety and allergies, we want to protect producers and consumers. I know it’s a little more work, but in the long run it would be worth it if there were people who got sick."
Joan Hegerfeld-Baker, an Extension food safety specialist in Brookings, said,
"There are a lot of people who really haven’t learned properly. There are shortcuts people are starting to use that are not safe. You want people to use safe, tested methods."