Farmers gear up for popular summer markets, but can they be done safely?

Gov. Mike Dunleavy hopes to gradually reopen the state’s economy but will it be open enough to allow Alaska’s farmers’ markets to be safe, and yet flourish this summer?

By their very nature farmers’ markets need human contact with purchases changing hands and credit cards being handled and swiped.

Arthur Keyes, a Mat-Su farmer who also operates the two farmers’ markets in Anchorage — south and midtown — thinks there are ways to do it. He and others in the Alaska Farmers Market Association are working with the state Division of Agriculture and Dept. of Environmental Conservation on safe operating guidelines and DEC has already posted those on its website.

What’s fortunate is that Alaskans can now look to the Lower 48 as to what works and what doesn’t for farmers’ markets in the age of COVID-19.

“A lot of Lower 48 markets operate year-around, while Alaska’s are seasonal. Because of that we can draw on their experience,” in how to operate safely, Keyes said in an interview.

There are some early lessons in what not to do. Drive in with curbside pickup is working okay for traditional grocery stores but it won’t work with farmers’ markets, most of which are open certain days of the week.

This hasn’t worked in places where it has been tried.

“There was just too much traffic,” Keyes said.

State agriculture director David Schade said he is closely watching how other states are managing farmers’ markets. “California has mostly left all of theirs open, although things are being managed county-by-county. On the East Coast many states shut down the markets although some are reopening with criteria that is similar to that being proposed for Alaska by DEC,” Schade said.

Keyes said what appears workable is to operate the markets as they are now structured but with social distancing and the wearing of face masks that has now become common in grocery stores.

In many ways the open-air farmers’ markets are better suited to these practices than traditional supermarkets, “where the spacing is tighter and it’s not always easy to keep the proper spacing,” in separation between shoppers, Keyes said. There’s more opportunity for vendors to be spread out in open-air markets.

There are still a lot of uncertainties but farmers, particularly vegetable growers, have to be preparing now. “There’s a one-month window for planting to get a 12-month paycheck, and the time for planting is right now,” he said.

Keyes is planting carrots, onions and zucchini himself, and like many farmers has a greenhouse to allow an earlier start in the spring when outdoor temperatures are still cool.

Vegetable farmers in the MatSu sell a lot of their products in major food stores but the farmers’ markets offer an independent retail outlet with the opportunity for more profit, which is important in a seasonal, labor-intensive industry that traditionally operates on thin margins.

There should be strong consumer interest in locally-grown this year because of worries on how reliable fresh produce production will be in traditional Lower 48 sources of supply for Alaska, like California. Growers there are already worried about securing enough workers for planting and harvesting, Keyes said.

Schade said the state agriculture division is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to monitor the food distribution system and to try and spot shortages before they affect Alaska in a serious way.

There will be spot shortages of various foods and commodities through the summer and Schade is advising Alaskans to stock up the larder as a precaution. “Where we used to advise a family having two weeks’ supply in the freezer and cupboard we’re now saying four weeks,” he said.

There will certainly be no shortage of fish. “Everyone should get busy fishing this summer,” he said, although Alaskans need no encouragement to do that.

The agriculture division is also working to implement a micro-grant program authorized in the 2018 federal farm bill to help individuals and organizations build capacity for food sustainability.

Alaska is allocated $16 million over three years. Grants of $5,000 are available for individuals and $10,000 for organizations and while these are small grant applicants may be able to “bundle” them for projects. The program is expected to roll out in mid-summer, Schade said.

On a national level, Scade said one problem states are having is that the federal government keeps changing its rules.

“The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture has just published its third version as to what constitutes critical infrastructure,” exempt from shutdown rules, he said.

Contact the Frontiersman at news@frontiersman.com.

With COVID-1, how safe will Farmers’ Markets be?Farmers’ markets are vibrant community spaces where many shoppers gather to socialize in addition to purchasing groceries. However, for the time being, we ask shoppers to prioritize essential food purchasing and eliminate social gatherings at the market.

These markets, like grocery stores and supermarkets, are considered “essential businesses” under state and federal COVID-209 protection measures.

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and the Alaska Farmers Market Association have compiled information and recommendations from out of-state farmers markets, state agricultural associations and state health departments and the federal Centers for Disease Control.

Currently, no evidence exists that food is a source or transmission route for the virus. However, to keep farmers, producers, and shoppers safe, the DEC encourages the following actions at Alaska’s markets.

Measures for the market as a whole

If a vendor is sick or has been exposed to (or suspects they have been exposed to) COVID-19, ask them not to attend the market. Require vendors and customers to take note if they are experiencing symptoms such as fever or dry cough, and stay home to take care of themselves and protect others if they are sick. Provide signage at both the market and vendor entrances as a reminder of this requirement.

Farmers Markets should be for food, potted plants, and flower sales only. Food/produce vendors and ready-made food should be carry-out only. Prepared foods should be in an enclosed container so the customers take the food to eat off-site.

Suspend all sampling of products at the market.

Market managers should disinfect commonly used services, such as the market information table, EBT redemption devices (phones, card swipers), and have hand-sanitizer available.

Market managers should require that vendors wear gloves and change them frequently.

Customers and vendors should follow the CDC recommendation regarding the use of face coverings.

Markets should send an email/post on social media before the market starts informing customers of the new guidelines and asking folks who are sick to stay home.

Customers should practice “social distancing” — maintaining a space of about six feet from each other — and markets should inform customers of this policy as they enter the market; have signage, and volunteers, if possible, spread throughout the market reminding customers of the practice.

Reserve the first half-hour of the market, such as 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., for persons over the age of 60 and customers with medical conditions

Market managers should temporarily redesign market locations to limit contact and still allow people to purchase from vendors.

The space between vendors should be increased to 10+ feet with no more than 2 customers at a booth at a time. This will reduce crowding.

If possible, vendors should place another table in front of the products table to keep customers at least 6-feet away from products and vendors at all times.

Tape or chalk can be used on the ground or flooring to mark 6-foot distances.

Measures to be taken by each vendor

Customers should not handle any items on the vendors’ tables but, instead, just point at what they want and let vendors bag their purchases; market managers should provide vendors with signage informing customers of this policy.

No shared condiments. Instead, provide these items at consumer requests in individual portion-sized containers. Utensils, straws, etc., would be best provided wrapped and only at the consumers request.

Vendors are asked not to use cloth tablecloths to make it easier to sanitize surfaces; or, if using a tablecloth, to lay a sheet of plastic over the top of vendor tables or cloth tablecloths which can be disinfected.

Vendors should be encouraged to have one person handle money and another to handle product.

Contact-free pay options are easy and convenient and minimize the need to interact with credit cards or cash. Customers should be encouraged to use Apple Pay or similar.

Vendors are encouraged to round their prices to the nearest dollar so they can stop accepting coins (in the laboratory the virus has survived on coins). Vendors handling money should not touch food products until they have washed their hands.

Vendors should set up and use temporary handwashing stations at their booths. As possible, have volunteers stop by the vendor booths to relieve them so they can leave and wash their hands if they are unable to set-up a temporary handwashing station.

Hand-sanitizer should be ubiquitous throughout the market, at market manager tables, vendor tables and also in other locations throughout market.

If possible, vendors should pre-package produce, offering it in closed containers or single-use containers.

The COVID-19 virus is thought to be spread through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and by people who may not yet be showing symptoms. If you are an at-risk population (particularly older adults or immunocompromised individuals) we encourage you to prioritize your own health and minimize your exposure to large groups of people. Consider asking a friend or family member to pick up your market items for you.

Proper Cleaning Protocol

Vendors must clean and sanitize their supplies and equipment regularly.

For surfaces in contact with food or food products (produce bins, coolers, boxes, tools), use food safe detergents and sanitizing solutions

Clean the surface with a detergent (for example, Dawn dish detergent) and rinse thoroughly.

Use a sanitizer product approved for use on food contact surfaces. Cleaning and sanitizing food contact surfaces

Check the label and make sure the cleaning product is safe to use on food contact surfaces. Follow the label instructions for the product you use when mixing, applying, and storing it. Some products require contact time on the surface to be effective, and others require a rinse step.

Allow the surface to air dry.

For surfaces not to come into contact with food or food products (such as chairs, tables, truck beds)

Clean the surface with a detergent (for example, Dawn dish detergent) and rinse thoroughly.

Use EPA-approved products for use against viruses and other emerging pathogens

Follow the label instructions for the disinfectant you use when mixing, applying and storing it. Some disinfectants require contact time on the surface to be effective, and others require a rinse step.

Allow the surface to air dry. Wear disposable gloves when cleaning and sanitizing