New resource for farmers markets outlines legal issues related to mask policies

The team at Vermont Law School’s Center for Agriculture and Food Systems (CAFS), in partnership with the Farmers Market Coalition and NOFA-Vermont, is pleased to share a new legal resource for farmers market operators: “Face Mask Requirements and the ADA.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers markets across the country face questions about creating and enforcing mask policies. Market operators have a duty to protect the health and safety of vendors and customers, while also respecting the rights of individuals who are not able to wear a mask due to disability.

A new factsheet, available here, outlines how markets can create a mask policy in the context of state and local mask mandates, as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The factsheet is part of our Farmers Market Legal Toolkit website, an open-access legal resource that helps markets become more resilient and accessible.

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This material is based upon work supported by the National Agricultural Library, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.