7 CFR § 170.4 - Who may participate in the USDA Farmers Market?

Members of three groups may participate in the USDA Farmers Markets:

(a) Principal farmers or producers who sell their own agricultural products. The principal farmer must be in full control and supervision of the individual steps of production of crops including tilling, planting, cultivating, fertilizer and pesticide applications (if applicable), harvesting and post-harvest handling on its own farm with its own machinery and labor.

(b) Principal farmer or producers who sell their own value-added agricultural products. Value-added products may include agricultural products that have been enhanced through a modification of the product, such as braiding, weaving, hulling, extracting, handcrafting, and the like. It also may result from growing the product in a way that is acknowledged as safer. Farmers and vendors selling these types of products must prepare them predominately with material they have grown or gathered.

(c) Nonproduce vendors. A limited number of non-produce vendors may be selected by market management to sell specialized products that enhance the market atmosphere and historically attract customers to a farmers market. These specialized vendors, such as bakers, may be exempted from the reselling restrictions that apply to the farmers and vendors described in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section.