Winter Farmers’ Market Application

St. Paul Growers Association, Inc.

Mission Statement- To create a family-friendly atmosphere providing a diverse variety of fresh quality local products through a marketing system beneficial to both vendors and the public.

General Rules - All Markets

1. Selling privileges at the St. Paul Farmers Markets are extended only to members of
the St. Paul Growers Association, Inc. A member must meet all membership
requirements of the SPGA and must be the actual producer of the products.
Products must meet all product requirements of the SPGA. All products must be
approved by the SPGA Board or its managers.

2. Membership may only be passed on the member's legal spouse, son, daughter or
grandchildren who must meet all SPGA by-laws and rules and regulation
requirements. Special circumstances may be considered by the Board on a
case-by-case basis. However, such persons seeking membership must have Capital
Investment in membership as required in Article 2 Section 1 in By Laws.

3. To qualify as a producer, a member must own or rent the land, equipment and
facilities required to produce the product. (Any other arrangement must be
approved in advance of the growing season by the Executive Board.) A copy of the
lease form for all rental land must be submitted with your application by specified
date for approval by the Board of Directors. You must plant, maintain, harvest and
market (sell) any and all of the products, which you sell at the St. Paul Farmers
Markets. Growers who purchase plants must maintain them for 30 days. Persons
selling must be members of the member's family or a paid employee of that
member. No brokers, agents or others may represent a farmer. Family members of
a membership holder with SPGA who sell their produce or crafts produced apart
from the family business must have their own membership. They then may sell
within the business stall limitations. Inspections will be done by the Market
Manager and/or designated assistant. The inspector shall have access to member
property and records. Violation of these rules will go on your permanent record as
a major offense.

4. Products offered for sale must be good quality based on the judgement of the
Market Manager. The Market Manager can order sellers to withdraw poor quality
items from the Market.

5. Application and Membership Fee - Renewal membership applications with all
required paperwork must be completely and accurately filled out and returned to
the office, and where applicable, stall rental contract and land rental information
form, by specified date each year decided by the Board of Directors and the
Manager. Total membership will be limited, so renewal membership must be in the
office by specified date to guarantee selling privileges for the year. All membership
dues, fees and fines must be current and paid with money order, cashier checks or
personal checks. No cash payment will be accepted. Membership payment is due in
full on the first payment date, along with completed and signed contract and
application forms. New members must complete an application prior to selling at a
market. The application must accurately list the amount of acreage for each crop to
be grown and sold at all St. Paul Farmers Markets. If the acreage or crop changes
during the year, the Market Manager must be notified in advance and in writing of
any changes. If a crop is not listed on the application, the Market Manager may
refuse to let the grower sell that product until the application form is updated. Fees
for membership will be set by the SPGA Board.

6. Stall Payments - Present stall holders will have the right to renew their lease on
stalls used the previous year. However, to reserve the stall(s) full payment for all
reserved and/or annual stalls are required in the office in one payment prior to the
specified date. A two-payment plan will be available with a service fee of $100. All
second half payments are due by July 15th of each year. Late payments are subject
to a $150.00 late fee payable within 30 days except for hardship cases presented in
writing for Board consideration. Any application not completed with late fees paid
by the due date will have their membership dropped. Daily renters must come to
market prepared to pay upon arrival. This will be strictly enforced.

7. All members are responsible for knowing if they need a sales tax ID number. If you
need a number, the office must have a copy of that number on file. If you do not
need a sales tax ID number, you must have a confirmation letter on file in the office
stating that you do not need one. The Manager has the power to remove a vendor
from the market for the entire year if compliance of this state requirement is not
followed

8. Inspection - The St. Paul Growers Association Inc. has the right to inspect any
member operation as often as needed throughout the season including records

9. Clean-Up - All vendors are expected to clean up their stall after usage. This
includes selling and parking spaces at all market locations. Failure to clean up
properly will result in a $50 fine payable to the SPGA for services rendered.

10. Complaint System - A complaint form is available for anyone to file a complaint
about a violation of the rules. A written complaint can be filed by anyone to
Managers or Board Members.

11. Signage - All vendors must display a sign approximately 10" x 20" with their name.
Failure to do so will result in an additional daily stall fee. The third infraction and
any thereafter will result in a minor offense.

12. No one under the age of 12 is permitted to use a knife on any market site.

13. Children are not allowed to roam the market site alone. All children under the age
of 12 must remain in their assigned stalls or be supervised by an adult.

14. The renter and a substantial amount of product are the only method of holding a
stall that will be recognized. A stall cannot be held by a person, a sign, an empty
vehicle or a small amount of product.

15. Stall assignments including sharing of stalls will be allowed only at the discretion of
the Market Manager.

16. A Manager may temporarily reassign stall(s) to accommodate market needs.

17. Stall renters shall not rent, sublet or assign stall space or any privilege pertaining
thereto. (This means you may not allow a friend, relative or another vendor to use
your stall(s) when you are not using them.) Only the Market Manager may arrange
for subletting of stall(s).

18. Proper attire is required during market hours. This includes shirts and shoes.

19. No grills are allowed at any market site without prior approval of a Manager.

20. A current picture of the person whose name appears on the membership will be
kept on file at the market office. Each member will be issued one or more ID cards
at the beginning of each year. Any person selling at a SPGA market must have in
their possession the ID card of the member they represent and show the card to
the Market Manager or his/her representative upon request. Only current ID cards
are acceptable.

21. Perennial crop rental shall be allowed as follows:
a. SPGA must be informed of intent of rental the first year rented
b. Crop cannot be sold at SPGA Markets the first year you are maintaining
crop. It can be sold beginning the second season.
c. Transplant perennials can be sold the first year.
d. Bulbs and bare root stock may be sold if from farmers' stock the previous
year and the vendor gets certification from the MN Dept of Ag. A copy of the
certification must be turned in to the Manager and this will be placed in the
vendor's file

22. Prior to the first usage, annual stallholders must contact the Market Manager 48
hours in advance, or they will not be guaranteed their stall. Failure to occupy stall(s)
without a 48-hour notice at the downtown Saturday and Sunday location or two
hours prior to start time at neighborhood locations will result in a $50.00 fine.

23. It is the member's responsibility to comply with all federal and state weight and
measure laws.

24. All members selling value-added food products sold at any St. Paul Growers
Association market site must be produced under the current Cottage Food Laws or
in an inspected licensed commercial (nonresidential) facility.

25. Vendors may not leave early from any market without a manager's approval. If
approved, you may need to be escorted out by the Manager for the safety of the
customers and other vendors. Penalties for leaving early without permission are
$50 first offense, $100 second offense and $100 plus a week's suspension for third
offense

26. Members must vacate market sites within
a. Downtown market 1-1/2 hours after closing
b. Neighborhood markets 1 hour after closing

27. Refrigerated truck and generator owners must do everything possible to quiet
their power units.

28. Daily stall fees will be charged every day that the market is open.

29. Vendors and employees shall not smoke on market property.

30. Any item up for discussion at the Annual Meeting will be translated upon the
request of five members.

31. Downtown Saturdays there will be a limit of two annual stalls per vendor with the
exception of members with 20 years of membership who are allowed to have three annual stalls based on the Saturday Downtown Seniority List. All other markets
three stalls are available based on seniority.

Violation Enforcement - Financial Fines

$50.00 Fines - After 3 $50 violations this becomes a minor offence
1. Failure to properly clean up stall
2. Failure to give adequate notice when attending market for the first time of the
season Adequate garbage receptacles not available if selling ready-made foods

$500 Fines
1. Discourteous behavior by a vendor including obscene language and shouting
2. Refusing to remove product off display or to leave market when asked by a
designated Manager

Leaving Market Early

$50 first offense, $100 second offense and $100 plus a weeks suspension third
offense

Minor Offence by Growers

1. Selling of live animals at market
2. Stall dimensions must be obeyed and selling done in designated areas only
3. Parking within two blocks of the downtown market site by any vendor or their
employee
4. Except for Downtown Saturday and Sunday, selling before or after designated
market hours
5. Failure to clean up
6. Hawking
7. No vendor name sign
8. Criticizing another vendor's quality or pricing of product while on the market site
9. Selling product under false information

Minor Offence Penalties

1st minor offense = $100.00 fine
2nd minor offense = $200.00 fine
3rd minor offense = 1 major offense & $500.00 fine

Major Offense by Growers

1. Consumption of alcohol or illegal drugs at market.
2. Any action or behavior that threatens the safety of others or the viability of the
association
3. Selling of products that you do not produce
4. Refusing to take down a canopy when asked to do so by the Manager on duty
All offenses are cumulative over the lifetime of the membership starting January 1, 1998

Major Offense Penalties

1st major offense = $500.00 fine and a 2-week suspension
2nd major offense = $1,000.00 fine and a 4-week suspension
3rd major offense = Suspension until cancellation of membership process is concluded

Suspensions

1. Anyone arriving late to a market will be denied selling space for that day unless
approved by the Manager
2. The third offense for leaving early from a market will result from a week
suspension at that market

Appeals Process

1. Vendors may appeal minor and major offenses. They would present their case to an
appeals committee consisting of One Board Member, One Rules Committee
Member, and One at-large member who is not related to the vendor presenting
their case. The appeals committee will present their recommendations to the next
SPGA Board of Directors Meeting and the Board will make the final decision
2. Vendors will pay any fines prior to selling again at the market but may continue to
sell until the Board's decision is made. If the Board rules in favor of the vendor, the
monies will be returned to the vendor.

Rules Pertaining to Crafts

1. Only crafts that have been grandfathered as of 1-1-2005 will be allowed except
value-added products allowed with Board approval
2. Grandfathered craft memberships cannot be passed on to family members

Food Vendors and Members Sampling Food

1. All food vendors need to have a copy of all licenses and insurance certificate
included with application forms, including all city, state. Federal required licenses
and requirements of SPGA. No exceptions.

2. All value-added edible products, food vendors or vendors doing food sampling
need to provide $1 million in product liability insurance certificate.

3. Vendors selling ready-made food on the market must have adequate garbage
receptacle(s) visible and assessable to customers. If not present a fine of $50 will be
assessed.

4. All vendor menus will be approved by the Board on an annual basis.

5. All animals and fish, except poultry must be raised from birth or maintained on
vendor farm for 1⁄2 their lifetime.

6. All types of poultry will be from day old chicks or hatched eggs.

7. Except for vendors grandfathered in as of 1/1/2010 dairy products must be
produced on a Grade A or B licensed farm and processed in a licensed
manufacturing plant using 100% of the producer milk. Cheese made on a licensed
on-farm manufacturing plant must use at least 50% milk produced on that farm.
Other dairy products made on the farm must use 100% of producer's milk.

8. Records shall be kept and made available at time of inspection.

9. The purchase of animal, fish or poultry carcasses for resale is prohibited.

10. The purchase of eggs for resale is prohibited.

11. The main ingredient in sausages must be produced on the farm.

12. Honey must be derived from the hives the vendor owns.

Neighborhood Market Rules

1. Absolutely nobody may arrive at any neighborhood market prior than 1 1⁄2
hours before start time.

2. The Market Manager has the discretion to assign daily stalls by lottery if needed.

3. Limitation of number of stalls:
a. Reserved stalls: Anything above limitations will be at the discretion of the
Manager.
b. The number of daily stalls by vendor will be at the discretion of the on-site
manager in order to accommodate as many vendors as possible.

4. All general rules apply to neighborhood markets.

5. Markets will not exceed allotted number of allocated stalls.

6. All tents must be weighted down on all four legs with a minimum of 20 pounds per
leg. If weights are hung by a rope/bungee they must also be firmly attached to the
base of the tent leg, Exception: If your vehicle is parked next to your tent your tent
can be tied to your vehicle which would eliminate the need for weights on the back
two tent legs. Weights must be acceptable to the Market Manager. Items such as
batteries, bricks or items with sharp edges are not acceptable. Umbrellas must be
weighted and tied down. The member is liable for all damages caused by his/her
tents, umbrellas, and weights.

7. Only one tent per stall is permitted.

8. Members shall not sell at any market before the specified opening date or after the
specified closing date. If opening or closing dates are changed by mutual agreement
between the market site and the SPGA, members will be notified.

Neighborhood Market Reserved System

1. All neighborhood market seniority began in 1989

2. If a stall becomes vacant, adjacent stallholders have first chance at renting the stall.
If there are two adjacent stallholders and they cannot agree on usage of the stall, it
shall be decided by seniority. (Stalls are considered adjacent if they share a
common boundary line.)

3. All stall changes, additions or acquisitions will be handled on one day, set each year
prior to market opening. Members must be present or by proxy to be involved in
the process. Any stall addition must be paid for on the day of acquisition.

4. Reserved stalls apply for the whole season. Peak season is June 15th - September
15th. During peak season, annual stall holders must be in his/her stall one hour
prior to start time. Stall holders may have their stalls held until 1⁄2 hour prior to
start with week by week advance notice.

5. All vendors selling at any market must be in their assigned stall 1⁄2 hour before
start time. This is to allow for the safety of customers.


Definitions:

Value Added - A change in the physical state or form of the product (such as wheat to
flour, strawberries to jam). The production of a product in a manner that enhances its
value, as demonstrated through a business plan. A value-added product vendor must play
a significant part in two or more of the following: Production, Processing or Packaging

The St Paul Growers' Association is a non-profit organization. Our expectations for all market vendors are that they are reliable, set up to greet customers when the market opens, and maintain a good, positive attitude for the duration of the market hours. Market vendors are expected to meet these expectations, in addition to complying with market rules and regulations, to be allowed to continue to participate at the markets. Incidents of unruliness and verbal disdain will not be tolerated and will result in disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from the markets.