Rules and Regulations

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Welcome, Vendors!

The Mill Creek Farmers Market is celebrating its second year in 2019 and we are excited to provide this market to our community. The primary goals of the Market are to provide Mill Creek and the surrounding areas with local, farm-fresh goods, products, and services. We are committed to providing a desirable and successful marketplace where farmers and consumers can interact in an enjoyable and beneficial environment.

The following Rules and Regulations are designed to ensure that the market is a safe, friendly place where Mill Creek residents can buy exceptional products and build relationships with farmers and vendors.

It is essential for each vendor to carefully read these Rules and Regulations. By submitting your application, you hereby agree to comply with them. Failure to comply may result in the loss of permission to sell at the Mill Creek Farmers Market.

Mailing Address:
15728 Main Street
Mill Creek, WA 98012

Market Manager:
Sarah Dylan Jensen
Email
(425)-280-4150



Registration and Fees for 2019:
2019 Mill Creek Farmers Market Dues are $40 (one-time fee, annually)

Stall Fees are:
  • $30 per Market Day when pre-paid for individually (Single Stall).
  • $50 per Market Day when pre-paid individually (Double Stall).
  • $270 (one free day) when you pre-pay for the entire 10-week market (Single Stall only). This is non-refundable unless the Market is cancelled.
Fees are collected IN ADVANCE for future Market Days and are non-refundable (see Cancellation Policy below). Vendors may include following week(s) fees inside their Vendor Packets or bring to Market Manager enclosed in an envelope noting Vendor Name and Dates Paid. Payment may also be made in advance through the application process via PayPal.

Rules and Regulations
The following Rules and Regulations are for all vendors participating in the 2019 Mill Creek Farmers Market.

WHO CAN SELL

Farmers: One who raises produce, plants or botanicals, or animals on land they own, lease or rent. The definition of Farmer may also include someone who processes produce, fruit, berries, botanicals, meats, honey, etc., which is grown, raised, or harvested on their own, leased or rented property and then turned into value added product(s) such as jams, cider, salsa, vinegars, essential oils or any other botanical use. It may also include Farmers who raise the basic ingredient(s) of a product, but who must send it out for fundamental processing before creating the value added product. Such Vendors might include those Farmers selling certain essential oils, smoked meats or fish, etc. This excludes Resellers or those who might work on, or manage a corporately owned farm and have permission to dispose of surplus product.

Seafoods: In the case of seafood, the vendor must own, lease, or operate the fishing vessel or own, lease or rent the parcel of land where the seafood is caught or harvested.

Scales: Vendors that sell products by weight must provide their own scales, which must be “Legal for Trade” and subject to inspection by the Department of Agriculture’s Weights and Measurements Program.

Processors: One who sells foods that they have personally prepared or processed on property that they own, lease, or rent. Processors are persons offering fresh food products (such as meats, seafood, ciders, wines, baked goods, jams, nuts, etc.) that have added value to their product through some sort of “hands-on” processing (e.g., hand-filleted fish, smoked or butchered meats, handmade candies/nuts, etc.), but have not raised the ingredients themselves. All Processors must meet all Federal, State, County and local Health Department requirements. All appropriate permits and licenses must be submitted and filed with the Market Manager.

Resellers: Resellers are expected to be the only stop between the grower and the consumer. The product they buy must not come from shippers, warehouses, jobbers or wholesale distributors. They may sell any produce they grow themselves on their own property (see Farmers). Resellers must have all crops pre-approved by the Market Manager before delivering the crops to market for sale. All Resellers, or Farmers, must label their products as being resold if they are not selling products which they have grown, raised, or harvested themselves on property that they own, lease, or rent. All information declaring which products are resold must be available and displayed for the consumer to easily read. Signage must clearly state which farm(s) produced the products; other terms synonymous with “resold” may be substituted.

Prepared Food Vendors: Prepared Food vendors (Concessionaires) offer freshly made foods, available for sale and immediate consumption on-site. Prepared Food vendors shall submit and also possess and maintain all required State, County, and local Health Department permits. All appropriate permits and licenses shall be filed with the Market Manager.

Artisans/Crafters: One who creates with their own hands the products they offer for sale or providers of skilled craft services at the market, such as on-site knife sharpening or tool refurbishment. To qualify as an Artisan/Crafter, a majority of the tools and equipment used to produce their products must require skill, personal handling and/or manipulation, including second-hand items that are recycled, re-purposed and/or skillfully and creatively refurbished for new or improved use.

What is NOT allowed at the Mill Creek Farmers Market

The following items are not allowed at the Mill Creek Farmers Market:
  • No Commercial or Imported Items.
  • No Second Hand Items (Exception: Those vendors who take a second hand item and recycle that item into a new use.).
  • No Franchises: Those who have entered into an agreement or received a license to sell a company’s products and/or use a company’s packaging, logo, ingredients, and/or marketing tools under that license or any franchise agreement.

REQUIRED LICENSES TO SELL
All vendors shall provide with their application current copies of all applicable permits and licenses that are required in connection with the sale of their products. Where applicable, these may include, but not be limited to, Snohomish County Public Health Permit, Washington State Department of Agriculture Food Processors License, Certification for Organically Grown Produce, Department of Fisheries Wholesale License. Vendors selling shellfish must have additional licenses from the Washington State Department of Health.

All vendors must possess a valid Washington State Business License, also referred to as a UBI number.

Prepared food vendors, vendors who provide samples of their products, and food processors must comply with the rules and procedures of the Snohomish County Health District. For information on health permits and requirements contact Snohomish County Health District, 3020 Rucker, Suite 104, Everett, WA, (425) 339-5250.

CANOPY WEIGHTS
Canopy Weights must be attached to vendor and market canopies at all times. All vendors who wish to erect canopies (including umbrellas) on the Farmers Market site during a normal period of market operations, including the set up and break down period, are required to have their canopies sufficiently and safely anchored to the ground from the time their canopy is put up to the time it is taken down. Any vendor who fails to properly anchor his or her canopy will not be allowed to sell at the Farmers Market on that market day, unless that vendor chooses to take down and stow their canopy and sell without it. Each canopy leg must have no less than 24# (pounds) anchoring each leg, and market umbrellas, 50#. Alternatively, canopies may be secured on grass or unpacked soil by steel auger anchors or spiral tent stakes of at least ½” thickness and 12 – 15” length, properly installed and secured. Non-spiraled, straight tent stakes are not an acceptable canopy anchoring system. Holding capacity of auger anchor systems is dependent on soil conditions and density and may not be adequate in rocky soils.

LOAD IN/LOAD OUT
Booth set-up is NOT permitted before 12:30 p.m. on Market Day. Likewise, vendors are not permitted to start the tear-down process in or of their booth before the end of market at 7 p.m. For extenuating circumstances the Market Manager must give approval and be available to assist in the case of early set-up or tear down.
  • Speed: Vendors must adhere to a speed limit of 5 MPH when entering or exiting the market for loading.
  • Load In may occur between the hours of 12:30 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. All booths must be set up and ready to begin selling at 2:45 p.m. Vendors that arrive late will need to park off site and carry their supplies to their booth space. NO VEHICLES WILL BE PERMITTED AFTER 2:15 p.m.
  • Load Out may only occur after 7 p.m. and once the majority of customer traffic has subsided. Vendors will be loaded up and shall leave the site no later than one hour after the Market is closed. Exceptions, if any, must be cleared with the Market Manager.
  • Vehicles on Market Site: Insurance parameters prohibit traffic movement on the market site during open hours. Absolutely no vehicle operations are allowed into the market after 2:15 p.m. without Manager escort.
  • Space Assignments: Standard stall space is 10 feet x 10 feet. Double stall space is 20 feet x 10 feet. There is limited space assignment for trucks and vehicle-required booths. These are reserved for farmers and special needs vendors.

VENDOR PARTICIPATION AND PERFORMANCE GUIDELINES
Primary Guidelines
  • Selling: Selling shall begin no earlier than the stated Market opening time, when the Market Manager indicates that the Market is officially open, with the exception that a vendor may make purchases of products/prepared foods from another vendor before the Market opens if this is agreeable to the other vendors. Repeated violations of the selling rule will result in loss of vendor’s right to sell. Vendors who sell out early should post a sign to that effect. Vendors shall not leave their vehicles and goods unattended and must stay until closing.
  • Cancellations: Vendors who cannot attend the Market on a regularly scheduled day must contact the Market Manager at least 48 hours prior to that Market day. Vendors who do not cancel outside of the 48 hour policy will forfeit the regular stall fee for that day. Vendors may call 425-280-4150 or email Market Manager to cancel.
  • Signage: Each booth space must prominently display a sign clearly identifying the farm or business by name and location. Signs must be in place by the opening of the Market. All product descriptions must be true and not misleading. All signs must not obstruct visibility into other vendors’ booths or impair other vendors' ability to sell nor create a hazardous situation for customers.
  • Market Cleanliness: The Market site in the City of Mill Creek’s City Hall North parking lot. Vendors must keep their space clean and attractive during market hours and must clean up their space after the market closes, including sweeping up any debris and removing trash.

o Vendors using disposable paper products are required to bring a sufficient garbage can.
o All vendors should bring a broom and dustpan.
o Flower and Farm vendors may be asked to put a tarp down in their work area to prevent grinding of plant or floral material into the concrete.
o All vendors must haul out their trash. The Market trash and recycle receptacles are for customer use only.
o A fine of $20 will be assessed to vendors who do not adhere to these guidelines.

Secondary Guidelines
  • Staffing: All persons working at a vendor booth must be familiar with and adhere to all market rules as outlined in this document.
  • Smoke- and Tobacco-Free: The Mill Creek Farmers Market is a SMOKE- and TOBACCO-FREE Market. Absolutely no exceptions.
  • Pets: Vendors are not allowed to bring pets to the market. The only exceptions will be seeing-eye dogs, dogs for the hearing impaired or other disability guide dogs as outlined by law in the State of Washington. Documentation must be provided upon request.
  • Children: We discourage vendors from bringing their children to the market. However, if circumstances require them to do so, vendors must closely supervise their children at all times while on Market premises, with special care given during set-up time, which can be potentially dangerous. Small children are not allowed to wander the market unattended (parent or guardian.)

VENDOR COMMUNICATION
If vendors have concerns regarding market policies or operations, they may complete a Vendor Communication Form that is available from the Market Manager. Each form will be reviewed by the Market Manager and, if appropriate, the City of Mill Creek Communications and Marketing Department.

Vendor Packets will be handed out during the first hour of each Market Day. Vendors are required to accurately indicate their market sales each Market Day they attend during the course of the season. The Mill Creek Farmers Market does NOT charge commission on sales for any vendors.

MARKET TOKENS
The POP Kids Club Tokens are only valid at Farm/Produce vendor booths. The reimbursement process for tokens will occur bi-weekly or when a vendor has turned in $20 or more of tokens, whichever happens sooner. Market tokens should be placed in the Vendor Packet and turned in at the end of each Market Day. The Manager or staff person will count the tokens and enter the total on the Vendor Sales sheet. A check for reimbursement will be provided in the Vendor Packet the following Market Day.

Tokens may NOT be used to pay for stall fees or membership dues.