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Pleasant Garden Town Council said no to beef and shrimp sales at its farmers’ market at Tuesday night’s meeting.

In the past month, two individuals have asked the town for permission to sell the meat products at the Saturday market. The market’s regulations prohibit the sale of meat and dairy.

“Why are we being more regulatory than the county market and the one (in Greensboro),” Councilman Bob Wyrick asked. “Aren’t the same safety and health concerns there? What’s the difference?”

Mayor Anne Hice said the town doesn’t have an employee to oversee the farmers’ market and make sure the products are handled and stored properly before being brought to market.

Most markets develop their own regulations on how products are stored, said Don Delozier, director of the meat and poultry inspection division of the N.C. Department of Agriculture. “Some say it has to be in an ice chest. Some say it has to be in a refrigerator. And some say it has to be in a freezer.”

Delozier’s division is responsible for inspecting meat and ensuring it is properly labeled and identified before it goes to market. And that’s about it.

Local health officials may do a walk-through and notify the department of any concerns, but that’s the only other time the state department would get involved, Delozier said.

The motion to deny the requests passed 3-2 with Wyrick and Councilman Rick Wallace dissenting.

Contact E.A. Seagraves at 883-4422, Ext. 241, or elizabeth. seagraves@news-record.com