Published May 24, 2021

Our Farmers’ Market Bill is on the calendar for a vote on Tuesday! This is the last day that a bill can get its “second reading” and vote in the House, so we are really coming down to the wire.

Can you make one last call? Call your State Representative and urge him or her to vote YES on SB 617 and support farmers’ markets and local foods in Texas.

The vote is likely to happen late in the day on Tuesday. Tensions are running high as the deadline nears, so keep your call short and friendly.

Find your State Representative and contact info.

MORE INFORMATION ON SB 617

The bill, SB 617, is a simple clean-up bill that protects farmers’ market vendors from excessive permit fees. The Texas Legislature already passed permit fee caps last session, but a few local health departments have not properly applied them because of some regulatory definitions. SB 617 simply provides legislative definitions for “producer” and “farmers market” so that producers selling food at markets all over the state are protected from improper fees.

The bill already passed unanimously in the Senate. Read our fact sheet for more information on the Farmers’ Market Bill.

FARFA is relentless in making sure regulations get passed that support small-scale producers and local foods … and to stop regulations that create additional burdens for our farmers. If you support the work FARFA has done during this Session, PLEASE help us continue this work by making a special donation today. 

Your support for our work TODAY can make an enormous – and long-lasting – difference! Please consider joining or making a donation to FARFA and protect a healthy and productive food supply for everyone.