NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — At farmers markets in Tennessee, free samples are hard to find.
Vendors have to take extra steps to offer them at their stands because Tennessee law requires samples are in containers.
"They don't have time to harvest and grow and do all this work, and then sit there and cut up these little pieces of watermelon to put in little plastic cups to give to you," said Rita Martinez-Cid.
Martinez-Cid owns The Salty Cubana. She recently had to change the menu she offers when her small business sets up at farmers markets. Last summer, the health department started enforcing Tennessee laws that prevent her and other vendors from selling anything but premade and prepackaged food.
"It was a serious financial blow to so many of us, to the point where some of us just left the market all together cause they're like well, this isn't going to be worth it. The integrity of the product is now being sacrificed; it doesn't taste the same. The crunch isn't there," Martinez-Cid said.
Ana Aguilar owns Tantisimo. She said it's been hard to explain to customers why vendors stopped selling made-to-order food.
"So many people ask me why I'm not bringing the grill. I feel like I'm letting customers down every week, and I don't want to pass perceived blame on say the health department. So there's no answer I can give to satisfy the person that wants [fresh] tacos," said Ana Aguilar.
This legislative session, Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, introduced SB 1049 which would create a permit for farmers market vendors that allows them to cook and give samples at their stands. The permitting process would be similar to the one that vendors use when they work at special events, like festivals.
"The way the law has been, it's been a hindrance for small businesses and farmers to make sales," Yarbro said.
The permitting process would include an inspection by the health department and a fee.
