Petaluma Certified Farmers’ Market – S.C.C.F.M.A

PO Box 2835 Petaluma, CA 94953 – (707)762-0344

Website: petalumafarmersmarket.com Email address: petfarmersmarket@aol.com

I. Petaluma Certified Farmers’ Market - S.C.C.F.M.A. (PCFM) Philosophy:

1. The PCFM is primarily a Farmers’ Market for the benefit of growers and

    producers of agricultural products, and for the benefit of consumers.

2. Space preference will be allocated by the market manager using the following

    priorities in order of their importance:

a. market safety

b. separation of certified and non-certified sellers

c. overall balance of the market

d. market space availability

3. To establish and maintain a marketable balance of agricultural and other

     products, the market manager has the right to deny a new grower or vendor

     access to the market.

II. TIME AND LOCATION

May 24, 2008 – October 25, 2008 - Saturdays from 2:00pm -5:00pm

In Walnut Park on the corner of Petaluma Blvd. S and D Street

III. The following rules and regulations apply to all sellers, agricultural and non-agricultural.

Section A. Becoming a Qualified seller:

1. Complete an application to sell form and submit this to the manager.

2. Post and give the manager copies of current Certified Producers Certificate (CPC) and

    all other necessary certificates (nursery, organic, public health, sellers permit, etc.).

3. Provide the manager with a copy of your vehicle liability insurance for all vehicles that

    will be driven to the market.

4. Read and agree and adhere to the PCFM Rules and Regulations.

5. Obtain prior permission from the market manager to sell at the market.

6. Sell at the stall space designated by the market manager.

SECTION B. AT YOUR STALL

1. All scales must bear from the county of origin, a current seal from the

    Department of Weights and Measures.  All scales must face the customer.

2. All prices must be clearly posted.  Collusion among sellers to raise prices or

    any attempts to influence a seller to increase prices are strictly prohibited.

3. All necessary certifications will be conspicuously posted.

4. Sellers must maintain their stall space in a clean and sanitary condition.  All

    garbage must be taken away with you at the end of the day.  No large items

    or excess produce scraps may be placed in the garbage cans within the park.

    Each week your assigned stall space must be left in the same condition that it was in

    when you arrived otherwise you will be fined $25.00 (this will strictly enforced).

6. Containers used in the sale of any produce must have all words of

     misidentification obliterated.

SECTION C. ISSUES OF SAFETY

1. Any seller not in their stall space 15 minutes BEFORE the opening of the market

    WILL NOT be allowed to drive into the market.  All vehicles must be out of the Park

    no later than 1:45pm.

2. Sellers may not move their vehicles within the market until 5:10pm and when it is 

    and when it is safe to do so.  Pedestrians always have the right of way.  

3. Vendors must securely anchor all umbrellas, canopies and awnings to prevent any

     damage or injury.

4. Vendors have the responsibility for the safety and behavior of their own children.

5. Public Health dictates the following regarding sampling of food products:

a. Keep samples in clean, covered containers.

b. Use toothpicks to distribute samples.

c. Have a garbage pail for trash, pits, seeds and peels.

d. Use clean, disposable plastic gloves when cutting produce for samples.

e. Produce intended for sampling should be washed and free of dirt.

f. Utensils and cutting surfaces shall be washed and sanitized with chlorine solution of

   one tablespoon of liquid bleach per gallon of water, which is available at your stall.

g. Cutting surfaces shall be smooth, non-absorbent and cleanable.

    Failure to follow these rules will result in your not being able to sell at the PCFM.

6. All edible products must be stored at least 6 inches off of the ground.

7. No live animals are allowed in any area of the market where food is stored or sold.

    Guide dogs are exempt.

8. Vendor parking is not allowed in the areas marked “No Parking” on 4^th and E Streets.

     A $25.00 fine will be issued by the PCFM to any vendor vehicles parked in these

     areas.  In addition the Petaluma Police Department will be called to ticket and tow

     these vehicles.  This policy will be strictly enforced as these areas are required to be

     kept clear for emergency vehicle access.      

SECTION D. DEALINGS WITH EACH OTHER

1. Civility: Sellers, consumers and management are expected to maintain high standards

    of honesty and conduct themselves at all times in a courteous and helpful manner. 

    Unreasonable or outrageous behavior is grounds for suspension form the market.

2. Intoxication or conspicuous consumption of drugs or alcohol by a vendor at the market

    is prohibited.

3. Smoking is prohibited by a vendor at the market.

4. Sellers must notify the manager (707-762-0344) if they will not be selling on any

    given market day.  Notification must be given no later than 9:00pm on the day prior

    to the market day.  Failure to do so will result in a fee of $15.00, which will be

    collected by the manager prior to the vendor returning to sell at the market.

5. Stall fees for each market day, shall be $15.00 for a ten-foot-wide space.  All stall fees

    will be collected at the end of each market day by the market manager.

6. Agricultural vendors must provide the market manager with an accurate load list at the

    end of each market day.  As State regulation (AB593) stipulates that the load list must

    contain the following information – information which will be kept in the market file

    for not less than eighteen months.  If an accurate load list is not provided, the market

    manager is required to report the vendor to the Agricultural Commissioner.

a. Identity of each product sold as it appears on the CPC.

b. Quantity of each product sold at the market.

c. Name of vendor/grower and business/farm name.

SECTION E. CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

1. No Peddling of products uncertified, or certified in violation of California Direct

    Marketing Law.  Violators will be referred to the Department of Agriculture and either

    fined, suspended, or both. 

2. Growers may NOT use the word “organic.” Either by signage or verbally unless they

    are registered with the county as organic or are certified with the California Certified

    Organic Farmers.  Their organic registry and/or certification paper must be displayed   

    at the point of sale.

3. A certified producer or his/her employee can sell for one other certified producer per

    year provided the following criteria are met:

a. The agricultural products are separated and identified by each certified producer’s

    valid certificate at point of sale.

b. The certified producer selling with a second certificate is also offering agricultural

    produce of his/her own which is of greater volume by weight or dollar than that of the

    second certificate product.

c. Prior to sale, the market manager has obtained written authorization verifying that the

    certified producer selling on behalf of the second has authority to do so.

d. Current copies of ALL pertinent certified producers’ certificates are given to the

     market manager prior to sale.

e. Provide county Agricultural Commissioners with copies of second certification, written

    authorization letters, and, if forming partnerships or leasing property, copies of

    agreements.

f. Commission sales and buying and selling between certified producers is prohibited.

V. VIOLATIONS’ PROCEDURE

1. Whenever the market manager, in good faith, believes a seller has violated the rules

     and regulations of the market, or regulations of Sonoma County Public Health, or

     State Direct Marketing: the manager can issue a written or verbal warning or suspend

     the seller for one market day.  Outrageous behavior or intoxication are grounds for

     immediate removal from the market for that market day.

2. Upon subsequent violation, the manager can suspend seller for 30 days.

3. The seller has the right to appeal the removal or suspension to the PCFM.

4. Any serious violation will be reported to the Agricultural Commissioner of Public

    Health Department, as appropriate.

5. If the PCFM determines that the seller has violated the permit conditions, it may

    extend the suspension period to a maximum of 60 days.  The PCFM may indefinitely

    suspend or revoke the privilege of any seller whose privileges have been suspended

    more than twice in a two year period.

VI. NONCERTIFIED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

1. Processed foods (noncertifiable agricultural products) may be sold at the PCFM.

2. The market manager must have copies of all documentation which verifies that sellers

    of processed foods comply with production requirements of the Sonoma County

    Health Code.

3. Certified Producers Certificates listing the certified source of the processed product

    and a health permit verifying that the processing facility is an approved source are the

    Documents that are needed at the point of sale.

VII. NON-CERTIFIABLE, NON-AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

1. During the season, there will be space assigned, at the discretion of the market

    manager, for hand crafted items and processed foods.  The number of these spaces

   shall not exceed the number of agricultural spaces that are present at the market on

   any given market day.

2. Any product requiring a Department of Health certificate must post that certificate at

    the point of sale.

3. All processed food product food vendors must follow all food handling and sampling

    guidelines set by the Department of Health.  

4. All processed food product vendors are required to carry at least $1,000,000 in product

    liability insurance.

5. All craft items must be crafted by the seller.

 VIII. NON-PROFIT GROUPS

1. Local community groups which are ag-related or school related, shall be allowed at

    at the market when space is available, at the discretion of the market manager.

2. Any approved group must abide by the market rules, particularly section D. #1

    regarding proper conduct.

3. Approved groups shall confine their activity to their assigned space.

X. FEES

    Yearly Application Processing Fee for all vendors: $30.00

     Produce Booth: $15.00 single space, per day

     Arts/Crafts Booth: $15.00 single space, per day

     Food Booth: $20.00: single space, per day

XI. AGREEMENT

I agree to defend, hold harmless and indemnify the City of Petaluma, its officers and

employees, the Petaluma Certified Farmers’ Market - S.C.C.F.M.A. manager and the Petaluma Farmers’ Market – S.C.C.F.M.A. from and against any and all claims or damages and any or all loss, provided such claim, liability or loss arises in whole or in part by my own act of omission or that of my employee or agent.  The signature page is on the market application, this must be signed and dated and returned to the market manager prior to selling at the Market in 2008.