Farmers markets across North Carolina celebrate the diversity of local foods and provide access to fresh, healthy, and nutritious produce and value-added products. North Carolina has a multitude of agricultural industries, ranging from fresh seafood at the coast to apples and cider in the mountains. Not to forget that North Carolina is the #1 producer of sweet potatoes, 3rd in cucumber production and 4th in strawberry production in the United States. North Carolina also ranks 4th in national turkey production and produces over 11% of pork for U.S. consumers.
Navigating federal and state food laws and regulations can be complex. The type of food, how it is processed or prepared, packaged, and how and where the product is sold are just a few aspects to understanding which regulatory agency has jurisdiction over a food product. With public health and food safety in mind, there are several agencies that govern food sold throughout the state. These agencies include various divisions within North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
(NCDA&CS) and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
The purpose of this document is to support farmers markets and vendors with an overview of regulatory requirements and state government agency contact information Includes: contact information for inspection, compliance questions, permits or licensing and NC State Extension food safety programs.
*This PDF is designed to be printed on 11"x17" paper. Text could be small if printed in a different format.
“This work was supported by the intramural research program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Food Safety Outreach Program 1030908. The findings and conclusions in this preliminary publication have not been formally disseminated by the US Department of Agriculture and should not be construed to represent any agency determination or policy.”
