Policies and Regulations - 2010
KOOTENAI COUNTY FARMERS' MARKET ASSOCIATION, INC.
POLICIES and REGULATIONS
March 2010
MISSION
The Kootenai County Farmers Market Association, Inc. is incorporated by the state of Idaho as a non-profit corporation. Its purpose is to foster local family operated agriculture, forestry, and arts and crafts. This purpose then provides a special opportunity for direct dialogue between consumers and producers. A fee is charged for membership and space rental, to provide a market site, nursery license, and Market Manager. An elected Board of Directors guides the Market.
POLICIES
Each year preference will be given by discretion of the Board of Directors to producers/crafters residing in Kootenai County, secondly to those within 100 miles of the market site. Others are not eligible for membership, but may apply to the Board of Directors for selling privileges according to regulation #4. Members who join the Market in 2006 or later will be limited to 3 days off-farm retail sales venues per week other than the Market. Any other vendor (excluding Food Court vendors) with a permanent storefront will not be allowed selling privileges.
Membership is limited to 1) Producers/Growers, i.e., those who cultivate and/or raise vegetables, flowers, fruits, herbs, plants, small animals, and animal products for public sale. 2) Harvester/Gatherer, i.e., those who gather/pick wild growing fruits, plants or other material for public sale. 3) Crafters/Artisans, i.e., those who create products primarily from raw materials. To maintain the agricultural nature of the market, producer of crafts of non-agricultural nature in this category shall not exceed 30% of total Market membership. (For a vendor to qualify as an agricultural member, at least 75% of the products offered for sale must meet the requirements of items 1 and 2 above. If the percentage of a vendor's display is questionable, that vendor's status will be reviewed at the next Board meeting.) 4) Food Producer, i.e. those who make value-added products from agricultural or wild-crafted material in accordance with all Health Department and Market regulations for sale at the Market, primarily for off-site consumption. (Craft category shall include both food and nonfood crafts not exceeding 30% of total Market membership)
Food Court Vendors: Those persons preparing food primarily for immediate consumption on the premises. At least 75% of these vendors product must be for immediate consumption. Food Court Vendors are selected by the Board of Directors, must meet all government and Market health regulations, and are not eligible for membership.
Two levels of membership are available: A working member is one who willingly contributes a minimum of 10 hours each season in addition to participating in the two work party days for set up at the beginning of the season and clean-up at the end. This requirement shall be fulfilled by actively serving on one of the committees or otherwise volunteering in a Board-approved Market activity. Those failing to uphold this agreement will forfeit their eligibility for this membership level the following season. All members must participate on work party days. A $75 fine for unexcused absences has been voted on and agreed to by Market members. Failure to pay this fine will result in denial of market membership for current season and/or the following season until the fine has been paid in full.
A non-working member is one who is unable or does not wish to volunteer his/her time for the Market other than the two work days.
An Associate membership may be extended to craft vendors who are not eligible for regular membership but have been active in the Market for at least two years. This membership is only a working membership and does not include voting privileges.
FEE STRUCTURE:
Memberships: Working--$40; Non-working--$150; Associate
Working Member--$40
Season’s Pass is available with membership only (including associate members):
Saturday--$150 plus $1 per square foot for any space over 12' X 8' standard
space, with Manager approval; parking space is excluded from selling space; and
Wednesday --$100. A Combo Season’s Pass (Saturday & Wednesday) is available for
$225. Memberships and season passes are due one week before opening day of the
respective Market.
(Daily) Saturday Site Fee: Member, $15; Non-member, $25; Associate Member, $15.
Mid-week Site Fee: Member or Associate Member: $10; Non-member $15.
Food Court: $25 Saturday; $15 Wednesday, or a pre-paid fee of $250 for each
market.
SPACE SIZE:
An approximate 12' X 8' space (depending on location and Market approval) and a table are provided for season pass holders. Preference is given to active members based on length of membership and number of sale days attended from Market origin (1986) to date. Tables are usually available for day vendors. Canopies or any other addition to the basic table are to be approved by the Market management. Arrangement of displays must not block access to other vendors' stalls.
QUALITY:
All products are subject to Market inspection and may be rejected for sale because of rot, defects, insects, or failure to meet Market requirements.
PRICING:
It is not the Market policy to fix prices; however, vendors are encouraged to price their items for sale at a price that reflects cost of materials, labor, marketing expenses, and a profit.
REGULATIONS:
- Days and hours of the Market operation, charges for season
passes, daily site fees, and any special assessment for non-pass holding
members and non-member vendors will be recommended by the Board of Directors
and approved by membership vote at a regular membership meeting.
- A season pass must be purchased at least one week before
the opening day of the season for each Market, and vendors are advised to
make application at the annual spring meeting or soon thereafter to secure a
permanent site with the payment of membership dues and pass charges.
Memberships and season passes are not transferable or refundable. Two qualified
members may share a season pass; their names well be registered with the
Market Manager in advance of the first sale day. Partnerships:
two non-related persons producing and selling one product together may be
considered as one "member".
- Vendors may offer for sale: fruits, vegetables, fresh
cut and dried flowers, plants, honey, animals and animal products, and
handcrafted items. All of these must be grown, raised, or crafted by
the vendor. (All crafts must be approved by the Artistic Review
Committee (ARC)). Inspections may be made at the discretion of the
Board of Directors.
- Products not grown or gathered by the vendors or grown or
gathered by the prospective vendor from outside the 100 mile radius may be
sold only with the permission of the Board of Directors. A written
application must be received by the Board no less than seven (7) days prior
to the first expected day of sale at the Market. The applicant shall
specify what items he/she would like to sell, quantity and dates.
Priority is given to local growers. Processed products and prepared
foods may be sold or served provided they meet all Market and government
standards. Grounds for approval will be to expand the variety of items
for sale, and to ensure quality. All vendors must label where their
products are grown or produced.
- Sellers must be in their assigned spaces by 7 a.m. to
guarantee their regular space. Remaining space will be filled by the
market manager by drawing names starting at 7 a.m. Selling will
not begin until 8:00 a.m.
- The Kootenai County Farmers' Market Association, Inc. will
provide on-site liability insurance. However, individual product
liability is the responsibility of each vendor. Each vendor is
responsible for meeting all government regulations, obeying state, county,
and local laws, paying sales tax, and obtaining the proper licenses to sell.
-
Food Sales: Foods deemed "safe foods" by Panhandle Health District, may be sold by Market members without a food service permit from PHD. These foods (as of 3/06) include (1)fresh fruits or vegetables or nuts in the shell, but not melons, raw sprouts or wild mushrooms; and (2) breads, cookies, cakes, fruit pies, jams and jellies, featuring member or market grown ingredient (s). Vendors wishing to sell items other than those above must have valid permit from the PHD, filed with the Market Manager.
- Each vendor will keep his market space free from refuse,
keep items within his own space, will remain in his own space while selling
products, and conduct sales in an orderly business-like manner. No
religious or political promotion is permitted at market.
- The Market Manager is the first and final authority on any
market day.
- All vendors at the Market will register with the Market
Manager, and sign an agreement that they have read and will abide by the
Market rules, including the ground rules. Each vendor must submit,
anonymously, a statement of gross earnings from the Market on the last
market day. The figures are for insurance and grant purposes only.
- The Market rules and regulations are to be enforced by the Board of Directors. The Market reserves the right to revoke the privileges of any vendor who, in the judgment of the Board of Directors, has willfully violated the rules and regulations of the Market.
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