El Dorado County Shuts Down Illegal Roadside Vendor
May 14, 2015 09:44AM ● By Steven Jack
Stock image courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons
The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office continues to crack down on illegal roadside vendors.
According to a media release, sheriff's deputies cited a Stockton woman May 10 on two counts of operating a business without a license. The woman was selling flowers and cherries from a roadside stand at the corner of Cambridge Road and Country Club Drive in Cameron Park.
The enforcement is part of an ongoing campaign involving the El Dorado County Farm Bureau, County Agriculture Department, Chamber of Commerce, Environmental Management Division, the Sheriff’s Office, and the City of Placerville to protect citizens, local growers and businesses.
“We are seeing an influx of vendors from outside of the county,” said El Dorado County Agriculture Commissioner Charlene Carveth in 2013. “In most instances, roadside dealers are not selling produce that is locally grown, or in compliance with basic local and state food safety requirements.”
The county launched its "Protect Local Growers" campaign in 2013 to help the public understand the risks of buying from improperly licensed vendors.
“The idea of the campaign is twofold,” said Farm Bureau Executive Director Valerie Zentner. “We want to educate the public about the risks of purchasing produce from illegal roadside vendors, and in doing so protect the law-abiding local growers in our community.”
Roadside produce risks can include "consuming food that is not in compliance with safe handling, pesticide, refrigeration, packaging and labeling requirements." Unwanted pest importation is also a risk, the county said.
Finally, illegal vendors can harm the ability for properly licensed vendors to offer safe and healthy products. If residents spot what they think may be an illegal roadside operation, they are encouraged to call the county at (530) 642-4968.
According to a media release, sheriff's deputies cited a Stockton woman May 10 on two counts of operating a business without a license. The woman was selling flowers and cherries from a roadside stand at the corner of Cambridge Road and Country Club Drive in Cameron Park.
The enforcement is part of an ongoing campaign involving the El Dorado County Farm Bureau, County Agriculture Department, Chamber of Commerce, Environmental Management Division, the Sheriff’s Office, and the City of Placerville to protect citizens, local growers and businesses.
“We are seeing an influx of vendors from outside of the county,” said El Dorado County Agriculture Commissioner Charlene Carveth in 2013. “In most instances, roadside dealers are not selling produce that is locally grown, or in compliance with basic local and state food safety requirements.”
The county launched its "Protect Local Growers" campaign in 2013 to help the public understand the risks of buying from improperly licensed vendors.
“The idea of the campaign is twofold,” said Farm Bureau Executive Director Valerie Zentner. “We want to educate the public about the risks of purchasing produce from illegal roadside vendors, and in doing so protect the law-abiding local growers in our community.”
Roadside produce risks can include "consuming food that is not in compliance with safe handling, pesticide, refrigeration, packaging and labeling requirements." Unwanted pest importation is also a risk, the county said.
Finally, illegal vendors can harm the ability for properly licensed vendors to offer safe and healthy products. If residents spot what they think may be an illegal roadside operation, they are encouraged to call the county at (530) 642-4968.