The Kentucky Department of Agriculture, and Commissioner Ryan Quarles, provided clear guidance for market managers operating during the COVID-19 epidemic. This includes on-site hand and surface sanitation, proper money transaction procedures, and discontinuing sampling and cooking demonstrations. For staff handling money and vouchers, sanitary gloves and hand sanitizer are required. We implemented a limited entry procedure to ensure we can maintain appropriate social distances.
Vendors and volunteers are asked to wear cloth face coverings as recommended by the CDC.
Our all-volunteer Market Committee made the decision to require customers to wear masks as well. This helps keep vendors, volunteers, and customers safe. We respect that not everyone wants to wear a mask, however, we require it.
The Market Committee created a convenient “no contact” drive-thru experience for those who don’t want to walk the market. This is a great option for those who prefer not to wear a mask.
Our goal is to keep everyone safe, and keep the market open for the farmers who depend on it. We appreciate all who have shopped the market these past two weeks and followed the rules we set to ensure we can operate safely.
Commissioner Quarles offered this advice in his training to market managers, “All of these practices are only useful if they are followed. This may be uncomfortable but please remember, we are trying to keep people safe, and keep the market open.”
Thank you for shopping the market! Our farmers appreciate your business.
