Thank you for your interest in applying to the Foothill Farmers' Market Association. The following is an overview of the application process and the minimal requirements that must be met to become a vendor at one of our markets. The FFMA gives preference to those vendors whose products are grown or produced in Placer/Nevada Counties.
The process involves three steps:
Submit an FFMA Interest Form after checking the Market Opening status as listed in the table below. The Interest Form is not a guarantee for participation in any of our markets.
If the FFMA accepts your Interest Form submission, you will receive notice and an application to participate in our markets will be sent to you. If your Interest Form is not accepted, you will also receive notice. If you send an Interest Form for a market that is "closed" to new vendors, you will not receive any notice. Please make sure you review the Market Opening status listed below prior to submission.
If an application is/was sent to you, complete and submit it along with the required documents listed for your category to: FFMA Box 3343 Auburn, Ca 95602.You will be notified of the date when the application will be reviewed by the FFMA. We ask that you be patient, the entire process can take many months to complete. The large amount of interest in our markets causes our review process to be time consuming. The FFMA also wants to ensure that the relationship that we establish with you, if we accept your application, will be successful for all parties.
Requirements and Interest Forms for Categories
Please review category requirements to see if you qualify, then if there are vendor openings in your category at the markets that you are interested in, download the Interest Form for your category. The Interest Form for your category allows us to obtain preliminary information about your operation so that we can determine if you and your products are what we are looking for in our markets.
Before sending in your Interest Form, please review the Market Opening status table shown below. Although we do not want to discourage prospective vendors from applying, we would like to make sure that you have a realistic understanding of the availability of space. Many of our markets are currently at capacity and with the openings that we may have we are very selective about the products and vendors that we allow in. Many vendors wait for an extensive period of time to be allowed into our markets. The Market Opening status is updated on an ongoing basis. We currently are not accepting applications for Art and Craft items.
Upon Acceptance
If your Interest Letter and Application are accepted you will need to provide the FFMA with a copy of your Product and General Liability Insurance with policy limits set to $1,000,000 products and $2,000,000 general aggregate. Insurance policies must the name the FFMA as an additional insured. Further information will be included if your application is accepted.
Important Information for all Vendors in FFMA's Markets
Vendors who have previously sold in the FFMA markets must have their completed application and application fee of $70.00 turned in by March 1st. After March 1st, the application fee for returning vendors increases to $80.00.
For all new applications the fee for 2013 is $70.00. There is no deadline for new vendor interest form submission as long as the markets have space.
The application requires your signature by which you attest to having read FFMA's Rules and Regulations (pdf) and by which you agree to abide by those rules.
Members of the FFMA are required to carry a general liability insurance policy with $1,000,000 single incident/$2,000,000 aggregate coverage. In addition, the FFMA requires a Certificate of Insurance naming The Foothill Farmers’ Market Association, its Agents, and Employees as additional insureds.
Cottage Food Law: the recently passed Cottage Food Law has not been clarified for Certified Farmers’ Markets; therefore, the FFMA is not accepting cottage food producers into our markets at this time. We will update the website once we receive more information.
FFMA's policy is to give preference to producers whose practices support our mission. All agricultural products must be grown or produced in California. If applicable, preference is given to Placer/Nevada County producers.
REQUIRMENTS
Certified Farmers' Markets are organized around areas designated by county Agricultural Commissioners for California's Certified Agricultural Producers to sell directly to the public, those products that the farmers have grown them themselves.
All of the fresh fruits, vegetables, greens and nuts found in FFMA's Certified Farmers' Markets are California Grown and brought to the market by the farmers who planted, nurtured and harvested the crop. In addition to fresh produce, Certified Farmers' Markets may include other California agricultural products such as honey, shell eggs, fresh flowers, and nursery plants.
For information about becoming a Certified Agricultural Producer, contact the Agriculture Commissioner in your home county.
The following, if applicable, are to be included with your completed Agricultural Interest Form:
Current California Certified Producers Certificate
State Organic Registration Certificate
3rd Party Organic Registration Certificate (CCOF, QAI, MOCA, etc.)
Nursery Stock License
Egg Handlers Registration
Health Department Permit or Cannery License (for any processed/value added products)
USDA Registration for Livestock Processing Facility
Vintners need Bonded Type 2 License for wine sales at market
Apiary (beekeeper) License
A copy of Farm Maps (County parcel map is best)
Proof of lease (if property in production is leased)
Photos of your stall space if you participate at other farmers markets
Artisan and Prepared Foods
Artisan Foods are any product that is processed/made by the vendor and is sold, not consumed in the market.
Prepared Foods are any item that is cooked, prepared or served to eat at the market.
Preference is given to vendors whose product ingredients are sourced regionally, ideally from vendors at the market. All food items, both Artisan and Prepared, must be produced by the vendor. Preference is given to those with a proven history in the food business. All food items sold at the market must be processed/served in accordance with the County Environmental Health Department's and the State of California's rules and regulations. All prepared food is subject to a blind tasting to assure product quality and appeal.
REQUIRMENTS
FFMA's markets also include prepared food items and ready-to-eat foods. These items provide additional choices for consumers and support local entrepreneurs and help to create a vibrant marketplace.
In certain markets, the FFMA is restricted to the number or type of non-agricultural products that can be sold in that market. All non-agricultural products must be juried by FFMA and samples may be requested before they are admitted to a market.
All non-agricultural producers must have a health permit covering the kitchen at which their products are produced and packaged (products cannot be made in home kitchens) as well as a Temporary Food Facility permit (pdf) from the county in which they wish to sell their products, if applicable.
Some of our markets are open for the 2013 market season and we will be reviewing Interest Forms. We have limited openings and applicants are selected using various criteria. Please review the market opening matrix below for availability. If you are interested in applying, send in the appropriate Interest Form. If a market is closed for a vendor class, there is currently no space available.
Market openings for 2013.
Rocklin – Blue Oaks (RC Willey at Blue Oaks Center)
Saturday, 9am – 12:30 pm, June – Dec.
Artisan Food/Prepared Food Vendors: Open
Farmers/Ranchers/Agricultural Producers: Open
Granite Bay (Quarry Ponds Town Center)
Sunday, 10am-1:30pm, June – Oct.
Artisan Food/Prepared Food Vendors: Open
Farmers/Ranchers/Agricultural Producers: Open
Roseville (Whole Foods Market at the Fountains)
Tuesday, 8:30am – 1pm, Year Round
Artisan Food/Prepared Food Vendors: Closed
Farmers/Ranchers/Agricultural Producers: Open
Truckee (Truckee River Regional Park)
Tuesday, 8am – 1pm, June – Oct.
Artisan Food/Prepared Food Vendors: Open
Farmers/Ranchers/Agricultural Producers: Open
Kings Beach (Kings Beach SRA)
Tuesday, 9am- 1pm, June – Sept.
Artisan Food/Prepared Food Vendors: Open
Farmers/Ranchers/Agricultural Producers: Open
Auburn (Dewitt Center), Wednesday
10am – 1pm, June – Oct.
Artisan Food/Prepared Food Vendors: Open
Farmers/Ranchers/Agricultural Producers: Open
Foresthill (Main Street)
Wednesday, 4pm – 7pm, June – Aug.
Artisan Food/Prepared Food Vendors: Open
Farmers/Ranchers/Agricultural Producers: Open
Tahoe City (Commons Beach)
Thursday, 8am -12pm, May – Oct.
Artisan Food/Prepared Food Vendors: Open
Farmers/Ranchers/Agricultural Producers: Open
Folsom (Whole Foods at the Palladio)
Thursday, 8:30am-1pm, May - Dec.
Artisan Food/Prepared Food Vendors: Open
Farmers/Ranchers/Agricultural Producers: Open
Currently our Saturday market in Auburn at the Old Town Courthouse Parking Lot is closed to new vendors.
