ABOUT CFMA & Certified farmers’ markets

INTRODUCTION

The California Farmers’ Markets Association, a mutual-benefit nonprofit since 1994, runs Certified Farmers’ Markets across the Bay Area that foster community and healthy eating habits. Voted “Best Place to Buy Produce” by local newspapers and honored by American Farmland Trust, the markets showcase high-quality fruits and vegetables and attract food writers nationwide. They host events like fruit festivals, monthly tastings, cooking and gardening demos, Harvest Festivals and Holiday Harvest Fairs, and promote healthy eating programs for children. The markets offer fresh fruits and vegetables direct from farmers, grass fed beef, fresh fish, flowers, eggs, local honey and gourmet artisan food specialties for thousands of households who attend each week.

What is a certified farmers’ market?

“Certified Farmers’ Markets” and “Certified Producers” are certified and regulated by State of California law. It is illegal for farmers to buy and re-sell agricultural products at a Certified Farmers’ Market. A Certified Farmers’ Market is a location, certified by the Agricultural Commissioner, where a producer sells only their own fruits and vegetables directly to consumers. It may only be operated by a local government, a certified producer or a non-profit organization. Certified Producers enjoy the exemptions of certain State regulations that require strict packing, labeling, size and grading standards. These exemptions foster the freshness and product availability that enhances every Certified Farmers’ Market in California.

Each farmer or other agricultural producer must carry in transit and post at the Certified Farmers’ Market a copy of his/her Certified Producer’s Certificate, which is provided by the farmer’s production county agricultural commissioner.

Benefits of Farmers’ Markets

There are over 800 Certified Farmers’ Markets in California. California Farmers’ Markets Association’s system of 14 markets serves over 26,000 households each week. The markets are outlets where consumer’s benefits include:

Obtain farm-fresh fruits and vegetables that travels a shorter farm-to-table trip.
Purchase directly from a family farm.
Obtain cultural/specialty fruits and vegetables not easily available in supermarkets.
Purchase of local products, which strengthen the local economy while decreasing the demand on transportation from outlying areas.

Farmers’ Benefits include:

Access to outlets where tree-ripened and vine-ripened produce is in high demand.
Access to immediate cash payment.
A place to sell heirloom and antique and/or specialty crops (such as thin-skinned high moisture Babcock peaches that do not easily withstand the stress of shipping, sweet potato leaves used for stir-fry, etc.).
A place to sell smaller quantities not usually accepted on the shipping channel(s).

CFMA reserves over 750 stall days for farmers each week during the peak agricultural season through its system of 14 certified farmers’ markets. An additional database of over 3,000 certified growers and an active “referral” system supported by our member growers assist the CFMA in supplying the markets. The market product mix is pre-determined each year by the annual reservation system.

Other Vendors

The addition of specialty food purveyors to the certified farmers’ markets originated when markets wanted to add “non-certifiable farm products”, direct from the producer, to their product mix at the market. These items include honey, cut flowers, dried nuts and jams. Since then, these items have become certifiable and are included in the “certified area” of the markets.

The California Farmers’ Markets Association (CFMA) hosts certified Farmers’ markets for the community, farmers, and producers. The markets offer fresh fruits and vegetables direct from farmers, grass fed beef, fresh fish, flowers, eggs, local honey and gourmet artisan food specialties for thousands of households who attend each week.

Interested in starting a farmers' market?

CFMA markets are award-winning successful farmers' markets which is why we receive so many requests to develop new farmers' markets. Although we would enjoy opening new markets in all the requested spaces, some locations are simply not suitable. Our team relies on decades of combined experience to select sites that have potential for success. This process takes several months. If your site wants to host a farmers' market, there are a number of factors to consider.

First, Certified Farmers' Markets May only be operated by a California non-profit, a government agency, or a certified producer.

CFMA partners with Site Sponsors who provide amenities for a farmers' market while enjoying the benefits of consistent routine visits to their property. Please contact us if your site meets the following criteria:

Market site must be located in Norther California.
Parking for 25 to 55 farmers/vendors trucks.
Adequate parking for consumers, 120 to 150 carparks.
Adequate space for the market aisle to accommodate mandatory fire code laws.
Access to a minimum of 30,000 households with in 3 miles.
A good neighbor distance from existing nearby certified farmers' markets. Please keep in mind when considering hosting a farmers' market, that adequate unmet demand in your area will ensure a crowd. Demand is a function of several factors in each specific area.

Determining success factors ahead of time works toward ensuring effective use of resources. We can assess your location to determine if our partnership will be a success. Our initial site visit occurs after the development team has reviewed and evaluated your location for further determination. If the site passes as a possible location to host a farmers' market, we will begin the planning process. A budget of $12,000 to $20,000 is needed to successfully open a new a farmers' market. CFMA contributes proportionately toward the start-up funds depending on the level of In-kind contributions rendered. The funds are dedicated toward the awareness campaign, planning permit process, and farmer recruitment that yields a product mix that meets the area's demand. This process can take 100-150 hours in staff time.

If your site meets the criteria listed above, please tell us a bit about your location in the form below. We look forward to reviewing your application.

Please note, it takes approximately 6 months to open a farmers' market. Please contact us by October for an opening in the following May.