Jun 24, 2016 3 min read

Duda’s Farm in Brownsville has been selling its produce directly to the public at roadside markets since the late 1980s.

The family-owned farm operates 11 roadside stands in Washington, Greene and Fayette counties, and sets out roadside signs to advertise those markets.

But owner Mark Duda said he was contacted last week by Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and ordered to remove all roadside signs.

Duda said PennDOT also notified him the farm will not be permitted to have road signs at any upcoming roadside farmers market stands, even on private property.

Current regulations require a permit and a fee in order to have an off-premises sign advertising a business.

Duda said the farm operates the roadside markets for about three months a year, and he believes the signs should not require a permit or a fee.

“I want to be treated like any other temporary signs, like political signs and garage sale signs,” said Duda, who has not applied for a permit. “We’re seasonal. We’re here for only three months. We’re trying to provide the best local produce from our fields, and we’re competing against the big chain stores, and we need to let people driving down the road know that we’re there. Every day is important, and we’re going to lose business if we can’t put out those signs.”

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives approved a bill introduced by state Rep. Pam Snyder, D-Jefferson, that would exempt signs for local farmers markets and farm stands along highways from the state’s fee requirements.

Snyder introduced the legislation after Duda’s Farm, which lies in her district, was directed to remove signs advertising its farm stand from a state route right of way last summer.

Snyder’s legislation would spare farmers markets and farm stands from the current requirement on any state routes that do not receive federal funding. The state Department of Transportation still can set the size, number and proximity of the signs.

“It is important that PennDOT ensures the orderly and effective display of outdoor advertising while protecting the state’s natural beauty along our roadways. But it is equally valuable that family farming should be supported, especially since agriculture is an important industry in our commonwealth,” Snyder said in a statement released after the bill was approved.

The bill, she said, would benefit both the farmer and those seeking fresh produce, while continuing PennDOT’s oversight.

Duda said he has written letters to Gov. Tom Wolf about the issue. The bill is awaiting action in the state Senate.