Are you looking to sell your gourmet mushrooms and/or functional mushrooms at a farmers market and curious about how to do so? We go over the farmers market vendor application, farmers market vendor fees, rules, and farmers market vendor insurance here. Being farmers market vendors can be lucrative, but it does require getting some ducks in a row so we are here with some farmers market vendor information.
There are often farmers market vendor fees. These fees can be different depending on many variables. Some farmers markets charge by the season and some charge by the day and/or weekend. We’ve seen pricing often ranging on farmers market vendor fees from 20 dollars to hundreds for the season so it really depends on the farmers market. We’ve also seen farmers market vendor fees for daily vendors ranging at different prices like 30 dollars per day for example and many up from there. Before filling out the farmers market vendor application, you may want to ask to make sure that it aligns with your budget and intention. There are other associated costs as well like farmers market insurance for vendors if that is required.
You will need to know some general information for the vendor application farmers market. Farmers market vendor information will likely need to be listed like your general information like the business’s location and name. If you are a grower/farmer than there might be a contingency on how much of your products are coming from your own farm/crops, 80% for example. You may be asked to list what items you will be selling at the farmers market on your vendor application farmers market. The entity on your application will likely need to match the entity on your farmers market insurance for vendors. Items that are not approved may need to be removed, events are different. It is important to be accurate with your farmers market vendor information. So if you are selling farmers market mushrooms and the vendor application farmers market asks to specify, of course don’t risk any issues.
Farmers market vendors also usually have many policies that they are asked to abide by. Farmers market vendors may need to arrive early to set up and could potentially have their spot reassigned if they don’t. Some farmers markets don’t like farmers market vendors to break down early either, sometimes a cancellation of future reservations could result. If you have a farmers market tent then there is a good chances that it will need to be anchored down in every corner by a minimum amount of weight that they list such as 30 pounds per corner for example. This is often laid out in the farmers market vendor application. Vendors including farmers market mushrooms vendors may need to be inspected by the Fire Marshall prior to the farmers market. Keeping things sanitary is another item. Farmers market mushrooms vendors may be required to have something like a water jug and catch bucket for sanitation and hand washing too. You may need a growers certificate or a growers permit to participate as well. What if there is third party injury at the event with your business involved, that’s where farmers market vendor insurance comes into play. That is the next topic that we dive into.
The farmers market may also require farmers market vendor insurance. This is usually done by providing a certificate of insurance to them with an additional insured listing the entity and/or event. Much of the time events will ask for a 2 million aggregate and one million per occurrence limit on the policy. The farmers market vendor application will likely reference a farmers market insurance for vendors requirement, we recommend asking if it doesn’t. Farmers market vendor insurance is usually asked for and a limit usually concentrated on is general liability coverage. If you have a policy in force, you can call your current agent and request an additionally insured certificate. Sometimes there is an additional charge for this and sometimes there is blanket coverage written into you policy and there is no charge. This is likely explained in your liability insurance for farmers market vendors. If there is an amount charged, the amount may not be specified in the policy and you may need to ask your agent. Some events will accept a signed waiver instead of supplying proof of liability insurance for farmers market vendors. This should be looked into before hand as sometimes it will stipulate it in the contract and/or vendor application farmers market and is overlooked by the vendor, then asked for right before the event. Farmers market insurance for vendors can then possibly become an issue preventing you from exhibiting or a stressful headache.
Farmers market mushrooms vendors wanting to cook at the event may need additional items. First of course make sure that this is allowed, culinary mushrooms are often found to be delicious but cooking does pose extra liability. They will likely want to know that you have fire suppression equipment on hand. If it does not stipulate this on the farmers market vendor application than we would recommend asking because this requires transporting the necessary equipment too and violating rules is not a good idea. If you are cooking and/or giving out food in general, they may require that gloves be used. We suggest that farmers market mushrooms vendors use gloves regardless of whether it is enforced or not.
Farmers markets can be a great way to make sales and connections for farmers market mushrooms vendors. Companies often plan out their year with which markets and events that they will go to. This may take some searching online for farmers market vendor information, talking with friends and clients in the industry. You can also schedule pickups beforehand that you advertise on your website etc. for the farmers market. We hope that we added some insight. Remember to see if liability insurance for farmers market vendors is needed and get that squared away, fill out the farmers market vendor application and pay any farmers market vendor fees, read any policies the event has very closely and have a way to anchor down your tent etc. if needed, and be on time. We suggest to not wait until the last minute for farmers market vendor insurance to prevent and headaches and issues. Farmers market mushrooms from local vendors are a great addition to farmers markets and a great way to get your brand out there, hope that you have so mush fun at these events and that they go very well for you!