Selling at a Farmers Market

[K-Chick]

My neighbor has a veggie stand and they said I could bring eggs and they would sell them for me. Do you put exp. date on them? Are you registered to sell eggs? Any advice would be great.

 

[SilverPhoenix]

I've been wondering this myself. My girls are mostly bantams and not consistent enough layers to have an actual clientele to sell my eggs to, but it would be good to know if it's legal or okay for me to sell eggs at a Farmer's Market when I have them in abundance. Hopefully we'll get an answer!

 

[rubyrogue]

It depends on the state, county city where you live. Contact your state ag dept for all the details.
ETA: My farmers market also requires that I purchase a booth. Since I will have veggies come summer I got my space and will also sell my extra eggs.
For example:

I live in Idaho.

Egg Distributor/Candler Requirements
It is a requirement under Title 37, Chapter 15, Idaho Code, Egg and Egg Products, and IDAPA 02.02.11 Rules Governing Egg and Egg Products to comply with the laws and rules if you are a distributor of egg and/or egg products or if you have 300 or more birds.

A distributor must renew his/her license yearly, and candlers must also renew their license yearly. In addition to a license, distributors are required to pay a monthly mill levy assessment of .004 per dozen.

If an individual has less than 300 birds, he/she can sell the eggs without complying with the requirements. However, the eggs must be clean and the container must be labeled with the individual's name, address, phone number, and the words "UNGRADED EGGS".​

 

[Ridgerunner]

Different Farmer's Markets have different rules. To get the answer for your specific Farmer's Market, you need to talk to someone local. For my small town Farmer's Market, I can just show up and sell eggs or garden produce if it is mine. If I want to go to Fayetteville's Farmer's Market, I would have to make arrangements with the Farmer's Market organization ahead of time to get a booth space. I don't know if a license is required or not.

 

[Mrs.H]

I plan on selling veggies at a farmers market this summer, in NC you have to have the NC cooperative Extension come out and check out your farm/garden etc to get certified to sell veggies/fruits, same with baked goods your kitchen needs to be inspected to get certified in order to sell. Im assuming the same to sell eggs, that they may need to come out and take a look. Now I have no clue if this is what needs to place at all farmer markets or maybe just this one that i plan on going too or maybe just my state.

 

[Illia]

Quote:
Licenses are required upon each individual state laws and regulations. In Washington you have to have a license AND permit to sell at Farmer's Markets, but what you said brings me to another issue and interesting fact that out here in a town so small, I've been hearing that our Farmer's Market has no inspections that go through the sellers. . . People have been telling me I don't need a license or permit. . . Yet the state law says so.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't know what the Arkansas laws are. I spoke with the city councilman that runs the small farmer's market. He said as long as it is mine, eggs or produce, just show up. I'm not allowed to sell something for someone else though. It is small. If a half a dozen people are there selling something, it is a lot.

The one in Fayetteville has been in the paper lately. One issue is about allowing dogs. The other that I found funny was about allocating space for politicians to set up campaign booths. The farmer's market organization wants to put them sort of off to the side while the mayor wants to put his right in the middle. The mayor won, by the way. That Farmer's Market sets the prices for the produce. All vendors have to charge the same thing. At the small one, charge whatever you can get.

The big one has a board with a chairman and an official agreement with the city. I think it is a for-profit organization, but I'm not 100% sure on that. The smaller one is held on ground the city owns with the city councilman responsible for it hanging around to assure that everything goes OK. It is more of a convenience for the residents. Maybe the way they are organized (or disorganized) has something to do with what rules and regulations you have to follow. I believe the big one collects taxes but am pretty sure the small one does not. Last year you did not even need to pay a fee to sell there.

These are two farmer's markets within 20 miles of me in the same state. They have totally different organization, rules, and regulations. That's why I think it is important to talk to somebody in your local farmer's market organization instead of relying on somebody in a different state.

 

[K-Chick]

today I talked to my neightbor who owns and operates a farm stand from his house. He sells everything from aspergrass in the spring to pumkins in the fall. I ask him if he'd be interested in selling my eggs and he said yes. All I have to do is keep track, so she just collects the money and I tell her how much she owes. Do you think I need to check more into the liscense etc. if I do that? I said I'd put a experation date on them....30 days after gathering. So now what do you think?

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

I live in Maryland and contacted my Ag Department. They guy on the phone said to be honest, just do it. If an inspector happens to come by, say I did not know I need a license. Then he went on to say that due to the budget cuts, most of the inspectors have been let go or given other jobs, so the chances of an inspector showing up is pretty slim. Go figure

 

[K-Chick]

I think I might just do that. I might call the Egg Board and at least ask them