Skip to main content

Local Foods

Local Foods not only provides a sales outlet for farmers, but can help strengthen a community by stimulating the local economy and creating local entrepreneurial opportunities. Farmers markets can promote food quality by reducing the distance that food travels from farm to consumer. When shipping is less of a concern, produce can be picked when it is full of flavor and tender, then quickly put into the hands of consumers seeking fresh products.

Topics

A row of vendor tents at a farmers market.

Farmers Market Operation

Customers expect the food and products they purchase at farmers markets to be safe to consume. Vendors have a responsibility to grow and handle food using good food safety practices. View all food safety regulations for farmers markets in South Dakota.

A male vendor serving a strawberry sample to an older woman at a farmers market stand.

Farmers Market Regulations

Customers expect the food and products they purchase at farmers markets to be safe to consume. Vendors have a responsibility to grow and handle food using good food safety practices. View all food safety regulations for farmers markets in South Dakota.

Featured Programs

Group of students eating lunch at school

Farm to School

Farm to school provides an opportunity for youth in early childcare, educational settings, after-school programs and other settings to experience local foods.

Upcoming Events

Group of students eating lunch at school
Mar 26

Virtual South Dakota Farm to School Buyer-Grower Summit

SDSU Extension and Child and Adult Nutrition Services-Department of Education will host a virtual farm to school buyer-grower summit on March 26, 2024, from 6:30-8:00 p.m.

Gardener planting a tomato transplant up to its first set of leaves.
Mar 22

Produce Prescription - Learning and Listening Session for Growers

SDSU Extension will host a learning and listening session about produce prescriptions on March 22 from 10:00-11:30 a.m. CDT.