Vendor Guidelines

RULES AND REGULATIONS:

1. Booth fee. The Market will charge a weekly booth fee of $20 per vending space, payable by cash or Check. A discount of $10/month will be applied each month, beginning in June, for vendors who pay for the month in advance.

2. Allowable items. All items sold by a vendor must be listed on the application and will be approved or rejected on a per-item basis by the CFM Board of Directors. Goods allowed for sale include the following items:

A . Farm products grown by the vendor: fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, herbs, grains, legumes, nuts, shell eggs, honey and other bee products, cut flowers, nursery stock, livestock food products (including meat, milk, yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products), and wool.

1. Up to 25% of the produce sold by a vendor may be purchased from another local farm (not from a wholesaler or warehouse), with full disclosure to customers and a sign indicating the name and location of the other farm(s) from which the produce was purchased.

B. Value-added farm products, made by the vendor from products grown by the vendor or purchased from another local farm: any product processed in a permitted, inspected kitchen or in a home kitchen by a grower from a farm product must follow the FFA Cottage Food Laws including proper labeling. The products include baked goods, jams, jellies, canned vegetables, pickles, dried fruit, syrups, salsas, salad dressings, flours, smoked or canned meats, sausages, soap, lip balms, and other forms of prepared products.

C. Prepared Foods. Vendors of prepared foods shall follow all rules and regulations pertaining to the products they sell as set forth by the Shelby County Department of Health, or any other regulatory agency governing said sales, and shall be solely responsible for knowing and following the same.

D. Non-farm product items, made by the vendor, such as but not limited to: ready-to-eat snack foods (prepared in a permitted, inspected kitchen), knife sharpening services, cookbooks, and other garden-related items.

E. Fish and seafood: in compliance with all rules and regulations governing the sale of the same.

3. No smoking. The use of tobacco products (including vaping) is not permitted at the market.

4. Space assignment. Spaces are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Vendors are expected to follow the directives of the Board Member/Market Representative regarding tent placement and set up in order to maintain the overall look and flow of market traffic. Tents are to be set up directly next to one another with no space in between in order to maximize space.

5. Vending spaces. A vending space is approximately 10 ft wide x 20 ft. deep. Canopies, umbrellas, tables, signs, and merchandise are not to extend into the space of another vendor unless agreed to by both parties. Electricity will not be available. Vendors requesting multiple spaces will provide payment for all spaces utilized. CFM provides vending space only and does not provide any structure, shade, table, utilities, etc.

6. Vending displays and signs. Well-secured canopies, tents, and umbrellas that fit within the booth space are allowed. A sign naming the business/farm/organization and its town or county of origin is required. All items must be clearly priced. Those items bought from other farms must be clearly labeled as such.

7. Set up/Opening. Vendors should be set up and ready for business when the Market opens at 8:00 am.

8. Late arrival and absence. If a vendor is unable to attend the Market any given week or will be arriving late, every effort should be made to contact a member of the Market Management Team in advance.

9. Vendor departure and closing. Vendors may not depart the market prior to 12:00 pm unless special permission has been given by the Board Member/Market Representative on a case-by-case basis.

10. Pricing, weights, & measures. Each vendor will operate as an individual entity and is responsible for setting his/her own prices. All scales shall be approved by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture and have current inspection stickers.

11. Sales tax. Each vendor will operate as an individual business entity and is responsible for collecting his/her own sales tax.

12. Clean up and closing. Vendors shall be responsible for the cleanliness of their selling areas. Vendors shall clean up their areas at the end of each Market day. Vendors shall not use public or host site trash receptacles for disposal of produce boxes or unsold produce. All vendors shall load their vehicles and be clear of the parking lot within 30 minutes of close of the Market. No structure or vehicle may remain after said time. The Collierville Farmers Market does not provide trash removal service. Every vendor shall remove his/her own trash at the end of each market day.

13. Extension agent’s letter. Growers must obtain a letter from their county extension agent stating where and what crops are grown. This letter must be on official letterhead and be filed with the Market. Produce not listed on the county extension agent’s letter may not be sold at the Market unless it was purchased from another local farm and is labeled accordingly.

14. Special certifications. Producers of prepared and/or packaged goods must be permitted and inspected by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Regulatory Services unless items fall under the FFA Cottage Food Laws. This permit must be displayed at the booth and filed with the Market. All vendors who display signage indicating that their produce is certified organic and must provide the Market with the appropriate documentation.

15. Liability insurance. Each vendor is required by the Market to carry his/her own liability insurance.

VIOLATIONS AND COMPLAINTS:

1. General. Any complaint against any vendor must be directed to the attention of the Board of Directors
of the Market in writing. Complaint resolution is the responsibility of the Board of Directors.

2. Vendor/customer conflicts. Any conflict which arises between a vendor and a customer must be brought to the attention of the Market Management Team for resolution, and should further action need to be taken, to the Board of Directors of the Market.

3. Sole discretion. When the Market’s Board of Directors determines that a vendor has violated any provision of these guidelines, a vendor may receive a warning, temporary suspension, or expulsion from the Market.

4. Market management team’s suspension authority. The Market Management Team shall have the authority to warn or temporarily suspend a vendor for the next Market day, based on the Market Management Team’s personal observation(s) of a violation of the guidelines.

5. Revocation of approval of application. The Market reserves the right to revoke the approval of any vendor’s application at any time, resulting in the expulsion of the vendor, if the Market finds said vendor in violation of any of the aforementioned guidelines and eligibility requirements.