LEGAL, REGULATORY & POLICY ISSUES
ASCAP, BMI, and Musicians at Your Farmers Market
Everyone loves music at the farmers market. However, a new challenge has emerged from “publishing rights organizations” seeking expensive licenses in order to play copyrighted music.
Food Safety at Farmers Markets
No one wants anyone to get sick from what they eat at a farmers market. Fortunately, there are excellent training materials available and resources that can help every market reduce the risk of food borne illnesses.
Insurance Options for Farmers Markets and Vendors
Insurance helps reduce the risk of incurring liability for market accidents. However, insurance can be confusing. What types does your market need? Learn about the WSFMA’s insurance program and insurance options for vendors.
Market Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Having a solid Emergency Preparedness plan in place is a critical piece of your market’s risk management. Fortunately, the Michigan Farmers Market Association has put together an excellent document with just about everything imaginable.
Farmers Market Advocacy and Policy
Working to change policy at any level is a team effort, based largely on relationships. Fortunately, farmers markets have strong partners in Washington. Find out who plus a few tips and ideas for Farmers Market Week.
Vendor scales are regulated by the state and critical to ensuring shopper confidence in their farmers market purchases. Learn about weights and measures laws (the “scale license”), scale inspections, and suggested practices to verify compliance.
WSFMA FAQ on Free Speech at FMs (2016)
Farmers markets attract large crowds which means that others seeking lots of people will also want to be there. Issues of free speech, free expression, and political activity (especially signature gatherers) are tricky to navigate. The attached FAQ walks a market through the legal and market management issues.
ASCAP, BMI & MUSICIANS AT YOUR FARMERS MARKET
Everyone loves music at the farmers market. However, a new challenge has emerged from “publishing rights organizations” seeking expensive licenses in order to play copyrighted music. This overview explains how “performance rights organizations” like the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) and Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI) work; what counts as the “public domain,” and Frequently Asked Questions.
FOOD SAFETY AT FARMERS MARKETS
No one wants anyone to get sick from what they eat at a farmers market. Fortunately, there are excellent training materials available and resources that can help every market reduce the risk of food borne illnesses.
This overview covers the basics of food safety, relevant training materials about food safety for farmers markets, resources for Washington State, and an introduction to the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs).
Food Safety at Farmers Markets (Sept 2016)
As food safety is a huge market priority, in Hawai’i we wanted to expand that definition. At Roots, they expanded the idea of food safety to include cultural and community guidelines. To them food safety includes knowing where your food comes from, who grew it, how it connects to our farmers, our land, and the integrity of how it is grown. Our kupuna knew how to grow, forage, prepare, and preserve food in ways that were harmonious with the natural cycles of our food systems. They knew what was pono, and how to keep their communities safe.
Resources:
- 8 Ways to Prevent Rat Lungworm at your Farmers Market
- “Food Safety Vendor Checklist” NY Federation of FMs (2012)
- “Food Safety at the Farmers Market Checklist” NY Federation of FMs (2012)
- “Preventing Food Borne Illness: Fresh Produce” WSU
- “What’s New with Food Safety” WSDA presentation (2016)
- “Food Safety Communication Resources” from WSDA (2016)
- “Food Safety at Farmers Markets” by H. Seltzer, FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (2014)
INSURANCE OPTIONS FOR FARMERS MARKETS & VENDORS
Insurance helps reduce the risk of incurring liability for market accidents. However, insurance can be confusing. What types does your market need? Learn about the HFMA’s insurance program and insurance options for vendors.
Hawaii Farmers Market Association has partnered with Campbell Risk Management to provide general commercial liability insurance so that you are protected against physical injury to people or damage to property arising from your daily farmers market operations. Coverage is also available for market vendors.
Farmers Market Insurance Policies
Insurance Options for Farmers Markets and Vendors (Feb 2016)
Recommended Resources:
- Insurance, Liability, & Regulation
- “Canopy Safety 101: Your Guide to Canopy Safety at WSFMA Farmers Markets” (2012)
- “Farmers Market Insurance: An Introduction to Policy Types & Common Terms” from the Farmers Market Coalition
- Farmers Market Accident Report Form from the UC Davis Small Farm Center’s “A Guide to Managing Risks and Liability at California Certified Farmers Markets“
MARKET SAFETY & EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Having a solid Emergency Preparedness plan in place is a critical piece of your market’s risk management. Fortunately, the Michigan Farmers Market Association has put together an excellent document with just about everything imaginable.
Market Safety and Emergency Preparedness (Feb 2016)
“Just in Case” Resources:
- “Emergency Procedures for Farmers Markets” ++
- Farmers Market Safety Checklist +
- Accident Report Form +
- Incident Report Form ++
- Protecting Cash at Your Market +
- Unhealthy Air Protocols (WSFMA 2020)
+ from “Guide to Managing Risks & Liability at CA Certified Farmers Markets” Small Farms Center at UC Davis
++ from the Michigan Farmers Market Association
FARMERS MARKET ADVOCACY & POLICY
Working to change policy at any level is a team effort, based largely on relationships. Fortunately, farmers markets have strong partners in Washington. Find out who plus a few tips and ideas for Farmers Market Week.
Farmers Market Advocacy and Policy (Feb 2016)
Good Resources: