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"Roots" Guidelines for WSFMA Member Markets

Preamble

The purpose of the Washington State Farmers Market Association is to encourage and establish successful farmers markets in Washington State. We feel that farmers markets are significant means to two social ends. A farmers market where a grower can sell directly to the consumer is perhaps the small farmer’s best opportunity to profit from their land and efforts, and a farmers market where consumers can talk directly to the grower, get the freshest produce possible, and experience the health-giving effects of that freshness, is the consumer’s best access to quality.

Farmers markets operate in every type of community across the State of Washington.  They operate in cities, suburbs and in rural communities.  Naturally they vary in size according to their location.  They vary in sophistication from occasional large shelters housing 50 to 75 vendors, to just a few farmers with their pick-ups parked beside each other in a community parking lot or street.  But, in each case, the customers have the same expectations and it is these expectations that every farmers market should meet if it truly intends to be successful in its twin goals. These expectations are at the heart of the standards outlined below.

How Does a Market Qualify for Membership?

The WSFMA is committed to an agriculturally based market system, and has implemented the following minimum qualifications for membership and insurance coverage.

Membership Policies

To qualify for membership benefits in the Washington State Farmers Market Association, the applying Farmers Market must annually:

1. Submit a vendor roster showing no less than five (5) vendors who are Farmers selling their own farm products at your market.
2. Submit the total combined gross annual sales of Processors and/or Resellers, which shall not exceed the total gross annual sales of Farmers.
3. Submit the total gross annual sales of Others, which shall not exceed total gross annual sales of Producers.
4. Submit also:
   • Vendor Roster
   • Market by-laws
   • Market rules/policies/handbook
   • Examples of any other Documents (i.e. newsletters, applications, etc.)

Those applying for membership must also:

1. Agree to an annual onsite visit by the WSFMA to assess the degree to which your market is meeting the WSFMA standards of membership and to assess market needs.
2. Agree that NO COMMERCIAL ITEMS, NO IMPORTED ITEMS and NO SECOND HAND ITEMS will be sold by ANY vendor at any WSFMA Member Market.   
3. Agree that NO FRANCHISES will be allowed to sell at any WSFMA Member Market.

Member Markets shall also agree and enforce the following language and include the following paragraph in your market contracts and guidelines:

“All vendors who wish to erect canopies (including umbrellas) on the farmers market site during a normal period of market operations, including the set up and break down period, are required to have their canopies sufficiently and safely anchored to the ground from the time their canopy is put up to the time it is taken down. Any vendor who fails to properly anchor his or her canopy will not be allowed to sell at the farmers market on that market day, unless that vendor chooses to take down and stow their canopy and sell without it. Each canopy leg must have no less than 24 lbs (pounds) anchoring per leg.  Please refer to Canopy 101.

Markets That Violate WSFMA Policies

If a Member Market is found to be in violation of stated WSFMA policies, the WSFMA Director shall, within 10 days of the alleged violation, submit a description of the violation, via Certified Mail, to the member market contact person. The member market in question then has 10 days from receipt of the violation notice to appeal. The WSFMA Board of Directors, or a board appointed committee, shall then meet to discuss the appropriate action to take. All decisions made by the Board of Directors shall be final and binding. The WSFMA Board of Directors reserves the right to suspend membership for any violations of these membership policies.  

Who is Allowed to Sell at WSFMA Member Markets?

Producers

Farmers

One who raises the produce, plants or animals which they sell at a WSFMA member farmers market on land they own or lease/rent in the State of Washington, or counties which border Washington State. This is meant to exclude those who might work on or manage a corporately owned farm and have permission to dispose of surplus product. It may include someone who processes produce grown on their own property into a value added product such as jams, cider, salsa, or alcoholic beverages. It may also include farmers who raise the basic ingredient(s) of a product, but who must send it out for fundamental processing before creating the value added product. Such Vendors might include those farmers selling mint oils, emu oils, smoked meat or fish, etc “Alcoholic beverages must be made entirely from ingredients grown in Washington, or from grapes grown in a recognized Washington appellation, except for certain additives required for processing, but which cannot be produced in the State of Washington, not amounting to more than 5% of the total volume of the beverage.”  Because at this time there appears to be no beer made in Washington State that meets these requirements, WSFMA recommends that its Member Markets only apply to be authorized for wine sales.

Processors

One who sells processed foods which they have personally prepared on their own or on leased/rented property.  Processors are persons or entities offering fresh food products (such as meats, seafood, ciders, baked goods, jams, etc.) that have added value to their product through some sort of “hands-on” processing (e.g., hand-filleted fish, smoked or butchered meats, handmade candies, etc.). All processors must meet all Federal, State, County and local Health Department requirements. All appropriate permits and licenses shall be displayed whenever a processor is selling at a WSFMA member market. Processors must produce their products in Washington State or in those counties which border the State of Washington. Processed food products should use ingredients from Washington State farms or waters as much as possible, and WSFMA Member Markets should give stall preference to processors using ingredients from Washington State farms or waters. Alcoholic beverages must be made entirely from ingredients grown in Washington, or from grapes grown in a recognized Washington appellation, except for certain additives required for processing, but which cannot be produced in the State of Washington, not amounting to more than 5% of the total volume of the beverage.

In the case of Seafood vendors, product must originate from the greater Pacific Northwest, which includes Washington, Oregon, Alaska and British Columbia.

Resellers

One who buys produce from farmers in Washington State and counties which border Washington State, trucks it to a WSFMA Member Farmers Market, and resells it directly to the consumer. The reseller is expected to be the only stop between the grower and the consumer. They are not expected to deal with shippers, warehouses or jobbers. They must not sell any produce not grown in Washington and its surrounding counties. They may sell any produce they grow themselves on their own property (see: Farmers). Resellers are sellers of crops that cannot be grown reliably, or offered for sale in sufficient quantity, by farmers selling at a given WSFMA member market, as determined by the individual WSFMA Member Market’s governing body. Resellers must have crops pre-approved by market governing body before delivering the crops to market for sale. Approved resold crops must be specifically limited, so as not to compete with the crops of farmers within the geographic vendor boundaries of the WSFMA Member Market, as defined by the market’s policies and by-laws. Resellers must label their products as being resold*, and information must be available for the consumer as to which farms produced those products. (*other terms synonymous with “resold” may be substituted.)

Others

Crafters

Crafters are persons or entities who craft with their own hands the products they offer for sale at WSFMA Member Markets. To qualify as a crafter, a majority of the tools and equipment used by the crafter to produce their products must require skills, personal handling and/or guidance by the crafter. Crafters should incorporate materials produced in Washington State as much as possible. Crafters must create their craft products in Washington, or in counties which border the State of Washington.

Prepared Food Vendors (Concessionaires)

Prepared Food Venders offer freshly made foods, available for sale and immediate consumption on-site at WSFMA member markets. Prepared Food Vendors shall possess and maintain all required State, County and local Health Department permits. Prepared Food Vendors should use ingredients produced in Washington State as much as possible. When selecting Prepared Food Vendors, WSFMA Member Markets are encouraged to provide a good variety of healthy foods, and to give preference to vendors using ingredients produced in Washington.

Miscellaneous

Any vendor which does not fit into, or violate any of the categories or standards above.

Updated October 31, 2008

Download the WSFMA Roots Guidelines [pdf 26 KB]