SANITARY REQUIREMENTS.
Austin City Code § 10-3-98
in effect§ 10-3-98 - SANITARY REQUIREMENTS.
(A) A person operating as a farmers market vendor shall comply with the Texas Administrative Code, Title 25, Part 1, Chapter 228 (Texas Food Establishment Rules) regarding equipment, floors, dust control, ceiling, and outer openings of food preparation areas at a temporary event.
(B) A farmers market vendor shall comply with the requirements of this section.
(C) The health authority may impose requirements on cooking, freezing, reheating, treating juice, and cooked-food storage temperatures.
(D) A person operating under a farmers market vendor permit shall comply with the following requirements:
(1) With the exception of egg vendors, all certified farmers' market vendors operating at a farmers market must operate out of a central preparation facility as its base of operation.
(2) The health authority must approve the preparation, serving, or displaying of potentially hazardous foods at a farmers market in accordance with permit requirements.
(3) Each employee or volunteer of a farmers market vendor shall be a registered food handler under Section 10-3-34 (Food Handler Training Certification Required) if the farmers market vendor is operating under a Class B permit. The registered food handler certificate shall, upon request, be provided to the health authority.
(4) At least one employee or volunteer of a farmers market vendor shall hold a certified food protection manager certificate under City Code Chapter 10-3 Article 2 (Food Manager Certificate and Food Handler Registration) Sections 10-3-31 and 10-3-34 if the farmers market vendor is operating under a Class B permit. The certified food protection manager certificate shall be prominently posted on the vendor booth.
(5) A farmers market vendor shall have sufficient potable water from a source approved by the health authority for cleaning foods, equipment and utensils under a Class B permit.
(6) A farmers market vendor operating under a Class B permit shall provide an approved facility for employee hand washing consisting of warm, free-flowing clean running water at a minimum temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit, soap, and individual paper towels or other approved hand-drying device. If the vendor is unable to maintain the water at the above temperature, the vendor shall provide another control measure, such as a hand sanitizer or single-use gloves, which is approved by the health authority.
(7) A farmers market vendor operating under a Class B permit shall provide an approved facility for washing, rinsing, and sanitizing of equipment and utensils used in the preparation and serving of food products. The facility shall consist of at least three containers or compartments, each of adequate size so as to permit the total immersion of all utensils used in a booth at a farmers market.
(8) A farmers market vendor must wear disposable plastic gloves when preparing samples of food or produce and must observe proper hand washing techniques immediately before preparing samples of food or produce consistent with the requirements of Section 437.020(c) of the Texas Health and Safety Code.
(E) The health authority may inspect each farmers market vendor booth offering food products as is necessary for the enforcement of this section.
(F) The market manager of a certified farmers market shall be responsible for ensuring compliance with the provisions of Sections 10-3-97(H) and 10-3-31 through 10-3-34 and for ensuring that all shared or common facilities and operations comply with this chapter. In the case of repeated violations of this section, the health authority may impose restrictions on the preparation of food products at a farmers market vendor booth under a Class B permit.
(G) The market manager shall obtain from the operator of a cottage food production operation the operator's or vendor's name, address, date of birth, and a copy of the person's government-issued identification. The market manager shall provide this information to the Health Authority upon request.
(H) A farmers market vendor shall provide containers with covers to protect food products during storage and display and shall put sneeze guards, or other method or equipment, pre-approved by the Health Authority, into place to protect food products from consumer contamination.
(I) Farmers market vendors shall correct all violations at the time of inspection unless an extension is allowed by the health authority. No extension shall be granted where the violation poses a significant risk of food borne illness to the public.
(J) If a farmers market vendor does not correct violations at the time of inspection, or within the specified extension time limits, the health authority shall immediately order the booth to suspend operations.
(K) Repeated violations by a farmers market vendor operating at a certified farmers market without a valid permit or with a suspended permit constitutes an offense under this chapter.
Source: Ord. 20131024-016; Ord. No. 20151008-011, Pt. 11, 10-19-15; Ord. No. 20190919-042, Pt. 3, 9-30-19; Ord. No. 20221013-029, Pt. 3, 10-24-22; Ord. No. 20231214-057, Pt. 8, 12-25-23.
Source: City of Austin, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/austin/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT10PUHESESA_CH10-3FOFOHA_ART4MOFOESCEFAMAVE_S10-3-98SAREFetched: 10/27/2026