Southborough Board of Health narrows farmers market food service; food trucks allowed with permits

The Town of Southborough Board of Health on April 7 approved a revised farmers market application that limits on-site food service at markets and clarifies permitting requirements for vendors.

Board staff said the updated application removes a prior, overly specific reference to one market and makes the rules apply to all markets in town. Under the revised approach, vendors may sell retail food items for off-site consumption, but vendors may not provide on-site food service unless they are a permitted food truck. "We're trying to avoid food service in the sense of . . . you order something for on-site consumption," said Chris, a health department staffer who described the intent to require food-service operations to use commercial-grade kitchens and appropriate hand-sink and sanitizer facilities.

The board and staff said the food-truck exception is intended to ensure that any on-site service is conducted by vendors already equipped and inspected for food service. Staff noted that higher-risk prepared foods (for example, items that require refrigeration) will require a comprehensive plan showing source, preparation, transport and cold-storage arrangements; agricultural products would generally be exempt from permitting fees.

Board members asked whether alcohol sales would be allowed at markets; staff said the health department does not issue alcohol permits and that such authority would likely rest with the Select Board. The policy change will place the farmers market application and the clarified vendor-review process on the health department's permitting workflow.

The new rules were presented as an effort to treat farmers markets primarily as retail venues while allowing inspected food-service vendors to attend through the food-truck permitting process. Staff said enforcement and vendor review will proceed under existing inspection schedules.