Outdoor Liberty Farmer’s Market Officially Closed

They needed the police? seriously?!!
http://lifein.mvsna.org/index.cfm/2010/3/15/Liberty-Farmers-Market-closed-indefinitely-after-police-raid

I’m confused. It was a farmers’ market and the police raided it? Why? Did they think people were selling drugs or something? I’m totally confused…

Move them to the “temporary” parking lot at 5th and Eye. I’m serious!!!

I’m with Si. This is an outrageous waste of police resources. Couldn’t the DCRA have contacted Diverse Market Management with their concerns prior to the market opening? Or did they think a full-on police raid would teach those crunch liberal farmer’s market types a lesson? Really unbelievable.

Probably some drug sales involved.

I know nothing about this situation other than what I read here but they skeptic in me always assumes there are two sides (at least) to every story and that maybe they had been warned or there are other issues at work. I don’t know, but seems like there must be a little bit more to the story.

Indeed there is another side to the story – from the MVT blog responses:

From DCRA Director Linda Argo:

Shaw, Mt. Vernon and Marion Street neighbors -

We sent this message out last night to the listservs, but I’m sending again as the misinformation regarding this past week’s event still seems to be circulating.

The event that was taking place near the corner of 7th & K streets last week was not a farmers’ market. Farmers’ markets are for farmers selling their own homegrown fresh products from the region and are exempt from licensing requirements for events on public space.

The event that was taking place was a collection of vendors of which very few, to our knowledge, were farmers.

Secondly, the “raid” as described in a release from the event’s organizer was actually a single police officer asking for basic information about the products and for documentation giving permission to operate on the private property. The organizers could not produce any documentation. And although DCRA was not present during the event, the organizer told the police officer the food vendors were not farmers.

We have been in contact with the event organizers and have told them exactly what they need to do to continue to operate their market. They need to produce a letter giving them permission to operate at that location which will allow them to get a Certificate of Occupancy for the event, and they need to get a General Business license.

Many of the food products being sold were also products we believe were not grown by the region’s farmers including Columbian coffee, oranges and other items. It is important that those vendors selling non-regional food products get a food license so the city’s heath inspectors can ensure they are safe for residents. In addition to these suspect food items, the event included vendors selling t-shirts, crafts and other items not covered under the farmers’ market exemption.

We are huge supporters of farmers’ markets and have been lauded by D.C. Hunger Solutions and the D.C. Farmers’ Market Collaborative for our efforts to simplify regulations that encourage new farmers’ markets and differentiate them in regulations from other events.

We have already told this event’s organizers that we will work closely with them to come into compliance with the regulations that cover the type of market they are attempting to create. But based on the products offered at this event, it would not be considered a farmer’s market.

I hope this information is helpful and clears up some of the misunderstanding about this market and last week’s enforcement action.

Regards,
Linda

Linda K. Argo
Director
Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs
District of Columbia Government
941 North Capitol Street, NE, Suite 9500
Washington, DC 20002

gasp! shutter! People are trying to sell food in our neighborhood!!