How to handle farm markets and coronavirus

Penn State Extension is offering a free, one-hour webinar Wednesday on how farmers markets can still operate with the threat of the coronavirus.

The discussion, to start at 3 p.m., will focus on strategies to control the spread of the coronavirus at farmers markets. Visit their website for details.

Penn State Extension recently published tips on how the public and farm-market operations can minimize the potential spread of coronavirus.

“Farmers markets are largely open-air venues that might reduce some transmission of the virus among and between growers and customers,” according to Penn State article.

Penn State Extension recommends:

• Wider spaces between vendors and growers for more air circulation and physical distancing.

• Fully stocked handwashing and sanitizing stations.

• Develop signage and information on websites and social media to explain changes, delivery options or extra precautions taken to limit exposure to the coronavirus.

• Vendors might want to consider not letting customers handle food.

• Consider alternate pick-up, drive-through or delivery options to keep crowd levels low.

• Encourage customers to avoid lining up too close to each other when making purchases.

• Pre-package bags of fruits, vegetables and other items to limit shoppers’ handling of food and so that customers move along quickly.

• Consider limiting the number of customers within a market at one time in the case of “panic shopping.”

• If possible, have different people handle products and money, or wash hands or use a hand sanitizer between these tasks.

• Eliminate eating areas and gently direct customers to take prepared foods home to avoid crowds.