Vendor Registration Terms
The Powell River Farmers' Market is composed exclusively of vendors who grow, make, bake, raise or wild harvest the products they sell. All products must be locally made and approved by the Market Committee. No more than 5% of our total vendors can come from outside the qathet Regional District or City of Powell River. We are required by the BC Association of Farmers’ Markets (BCAFM) to have +51% of our vendors be farmers, bakers, and prepared food vendors.
All products sold must be approved meet these standards:
Free of Cultural Appropriation: the use of a people’s traditional dress, music, cuisine, art, knowledge and other aspects of their culture, without their approval, by members of a different culture.
Grown or produced in Powell River & qathet Regional District (no resale items).
Produce must be grown without herbicides, pesticides or chemicals. Labels may NOT contain the word “organic” unless certification papers are displayed at the booth.
Baked goods must be made from scratch.
Original art and hand‐made items by local artists. No reproduction of copyrighted images or products.
- Hardcopy or email copy acceptable:
Written approval by the local Health Inspector in the form of a food permit with a list of high risk products to be sold (must be prepared in an approved commercial kitchen.) List of low-risk foods can be submitted directly to the market for approval.
If additional products are added throughout the season they must first be approved, please give at least a week's notice before bringing new products.
Proof of FoodSafe Level 1 completion for at least one onsite person preparing/handling food or drinks.
1. FARMERS MARKET VENDOR FEES
Annual membership fees must be paid on the first day of market sales when the 10% of daily sales fee is paid at the end of the market day. The Powell River Farmers' Market operates as a committee under the Powell River Farmers' Agricultural Institute.
FALL FAIR VENDOR FEES
If you are a non-profit only providing information and not selling a product, you are exempt from entry fees but if you're able to make a donation to the Powell River Farmers' Agricultural Institute it would be appreciated as this is an annual fundraiser. If you're a non-profit selling a product then the Recurring Fees would apply.
2. INSURANCE
The Powell River Farmers’ Market carries mandatory liability insurance. This insurance only covers the public in the event of an accident on the grounds not relating to a specific vendor. Individual vendor liability insurance is recommended (especially if you sell any type of food product). Insurance may be purchased through the BC Association of Farmers Markets if your market business does not have other liability insurance. The Powell River Farmers' Market's liability insurance does not cover individual vendors or their products.
3. BOOTHS:
Priority for booths is given to farmers and ready-to-eat food vendors. Booth assignments will be done one week before the season-opening or the evening before the market during the season.
Only farmers may add a table in front of their booth and only after approval is given. No other items should be set out in front of booths (ie signs, racks etc.)
Although many vendors have preferred booths that will attempt to be accommodated, there is no guarantee from year to year that the same booth space will be assigned.
Vendors may bring their own tent and table. Tent locations will be assigned by the market coordinator.
No car traffic permitted through the center walkway of booths (1-32) once tables have started to be set up or within an hour of the market opening.
The market coordinator must be notified by phone/text at least 48 hours in advance of an absence. All vendors will be listed on the Powell River Farmers’ Market Vendor List as “in attendance” if the coordinator is not otherwise notified. One exception per vendor per year is allowed. Cancellations with less than 24 hours notice will incur a $10 vendor cancellation fee which will need to be paid before the start of the following market. Two or more absences can result in loss of booth space/preferred location. Further details are defined under the Code of Conduct below.
4. FARMERS MARKET VENDOR TIMETABLES
FALL FAIR VENDOR TIMETABLES
* Vendor Cut‐off: Booths will only be held until Vendor Cut‐off.
6. ACCEPTABLE CUSTOMER PAYMENTS
Please familiarize yourself with the acceptable forms of payment we have at the market. It is our intention to never lose a sale, we have several options in place to help vendors who only deal in cash.
MARKET MONEY
Customers without cash can buy Market Money from the INFO Booth. Market Money can be accepted in place of cash by all vendors. $2 wooden tokens and $10 gift cards are available. Vendors will cash in all their market money at the end of every market. For payouts larger than $100 an etransfer will be issued the following business day.
NUTRITION COUPONS
Nutrition Coupons are single-use $3 coupons and can only be accepted by participating farmers for unprocessed fruit, vegetables, nuts, eggs & meats only. (Ready-to-eat or prepared foods are not covered in this program)
Farmers: only accept current year Nutrition Coupons, the market will not pay out on expired coupons.
Coupons totaling over $100 will be paid by etransfer the following business day.
Coupons cannot be accepted from other vendors without an accompanying letter of exception from the Farmers' Market , these are one-use coupons only.
Participating vendors must have all their Nutrition Coupon paperwork in place before accepting coupons.
7. CODE OF CONDUCT
The Market runs rain or shine, vendors agree to participate regardless of weather conditions. If your sales/products are weather dependent please notify the manager at the start of your season.
Sales begin only after the opening bell sounds with the exception of ready-to-eat food and beverage vendors who may sell on-site consumables anytime.
Vendors may buy early. Please go to the back of the booth you wish to purchase from and be patient and respectful of vendors setting up. If you access the front of the booth you must wait in the line like a regular customer, purchasing only after the bell rings.
Respectful behaviour is expected towards other vendors, committee members, market manager/coordinator, music director, volunteers, and customers. Please report any inappropriate behaviour to the market manager immediately. Vendors are not required to address or handle any confrontations or escalations with each other or the public.
Please take away your own garbage. The garbage cans provided are for customer use only.
Absolutely no dumping of any food products, garden waste or compost on the grounds. Compost can be left in a container, with your booth # on it, beside the main recycling station. If you are unable to carry the container, please notify the manager and we will take it to the compost. All compost is sorted by staff before it is put in the composter. Your container will be returned to your booth.
No sales of bottled drinks (water, pop, juice etc) allowed. Vendor bottled, VCH approved drinks are ok.
No smoking or vaping is permitted on or near the market grounds, we operate within a Regional Park. Smokers must go to Myrtle Avenue or McLeod Road to smoke. Cigarette butts should be disposed of responsibly and not left on the market grounds or littered.
Dogs and other pets are NOT allowed on the market grounds between Vendor Cut‐off and Car traffic permitted hours (except for service dogs). If you bring a pet with you please ensure they have water and stay securely inside your vehicle until the market is over. There are plenty of shady parking spots available even during the heat of the summer. Check with the manager if needed.
Please use only reusable, recyclable or biodegradable containers. No Styrofoam, compostable plastic, compostable corn-based plastic cutlery permitted. During the summer months we have a large selection of dishware available and a hired dishwasher.
Our community does not yet have a commercial composting facility to accommodate compostable plastic‐looking containers or corn‐based plastic cutlery so for now, these items go to landfills.
Vendors are required to attend at least one work party or complete one volunteer task per season. Physical strength or endurance is not needed for all tasks and tasks are available throughout the year. If you are unable to attend you can choose to pay the $10 volunteer exception fee, all these funds will go to support the volunteers at the work parties.
If any questions have arisen please contact us. powellriverfarmersmarket@gmail.com
If you agree to uphold these terms and conditions during the season, please proceed to the registration. Once you have completed your registration, please allow up to 10 business days for your application review to be completed. A copy of all the aforementioned information will be emailed to you. New and renewing vendors can click on the following:
Vendor Registration including Fall Fair
All products sold must be approved meet these standards:
Free of Cultural Appropriation: the use of a people’s traditional dress, music, cuisine, art, knowledge and other aspects of their culture, without their approval, by members of a different culture.
Grown or produced in Powell River & qathet Regional District (no resale items).
Produce must be grown without herbicides, pesticides or chemicals. Labels may NOT contain the word “organic” unless certification papers are displayed at the booth.
Baked goods must be made from scratch.
Original art and hand‐made items by local artists. No reproduction of copyrighted images or products.
- Hardcopy or email copy acceptable:
Written approval by the local Health Inspector in the form of a food permit with a list of high risk products to be sold (must be prepared in an approved commercial kitchen.) List of low-risk foods can be submitted directly to the market for approval.
If additional products are added throughout the season they must first be approved, please give at least a week's notice before bringing new products.
Proof of FoodSafe Level 1 completion for at least one onsite person preparing/handling food or drinks.
1. FARMERS MARKET VENDOR FEES
Annual membership fees must be paid on the first day of market sales when the 10% of daily sales fee is paid at the end of the market day. The Powell River Farmers' Market operates as a committee under the Powell River Farmers' Agricultural Institute.
If you are a non-profit only providing information and not selling a product, you are exempt from entry fees but if you're able to make a donation to the Powell River Farmers' Agricultural Institute it would be appreciated as this is an annual fundraiser. If you're a non-profit selling a product then the Recurring Fees would apply.
2. INSURANCE
The Powell River Farmers’ Market carries mandatory liability insurance. This insurance only covers the public in the event of an accident on the grounds not relating to a specific vendor. Individual vendor liability insurance is recommended (especially if you sell any type of food product). Insurance may be purchased through the BC Association of Farmers Markets if your market business does not have other liability insurance. The Powell River Farmers' Market's liability insurance does not cover individual vendors or their products.
3. BOOTHS:
Priority for booths is given to farmers and ready-to-eat food vendors. Booth assignments will be done one week before the season-opening or the evening before the market during the season.
Only farmers may add a table in front of their booth and only after approval is given. No other items should be set out in front of booths (ie signs, racks etc.)
Although many vendors have preferred booths that will attempt to be accommodated, there is no guarantee from year to year that the same booth space will be assigned.
Vendors may bring their own tent and table. Tent locations will be assigned by the market coordinator.
No car traffic permitted through the center walkway of booths (1-32) once tables have started to be set up or within an hour of the market opening.
The market coordinator must be notified by phone/text at least 48 hours in advance of an absence. All vendors will be listed on the Powell River Farmers’ Market Vendor List as “in attendance” if the coordinator is not otherwise notified. One exception per vendor per year is allowed. Cancellations with less than 24 hours notice will incur a $10 vendor cancellation fee which will need to be paid before the start of the following market. Two or more absences can result in loss of booth space/preferred location. Further details are defined under the Code of Conduct below.
4. FARMERS MARKET VENDOR TIMETABLES
FALL FAIR VENDOR TIMETABLES
* Vendor Cut‐off: Booths will only be held until Vendor Cut‐off.
6. ACCEPTABLE CUSTOMER PAYMENTS
Please familiarize yourself with the acceptable forms of payment we have at the market. It is our intention to never lose a sale, we have several options in place to help vendors who only deal in cash.
MARKET MONEY
Customers without cash can buy Market Money from the INFO Booth. Market Money can be accepted in place of cash by all vendors. $2 wooden tokens and $10 gift cards are available. Vendors will cash in all their market money at the end of every market. For payouts larger than $100 an etransfer will be issued the following business day.
NUTRITION COUPONS
Nutrition Coupons are single-use $3 coupons and can only be accepted by participating farmers for unprocessed fruit, vegetables, nuts, eggs & meats only. (Ready-to-eat or prepared foods are not covered in this program)
Farmers: only accept current year Nutrition Coupons, the market will not pay out on expired coupons.
Coupons totaling over $100 will be paid by etransfer the following business day.
Coupons cannot be accepted from other vendors without an accompanying letter of exception from the Farmers' Market , these are one-use coupons only.
Participating vendors must have all their Nutrition Coupon paperwork in place before accepting coupons.
7. CODE OF CONDUCT
The Market runs rain or shine, vendors agree to participate regardless of weather conditions. If your sales/products are weather dependent please notify the manager at the start of your season.
Sales begin only after the opening bell sounds with the exception of ready-to-eat food and beverage vendors who may sell on-site consumables anytime.
Vendors may buy early. Please go to the back of the booth you wish to purchase from and be patient and respectful of vendors setting up. If you access the front of the booth you must wait in the line like a regular customer, purchasing only after the bell rings.
Respectful behaviour is expected towards other vendors, committee members, market manager/coordinator, music director, volunteers, and customers. Please report any inappropriate behaviour to the market manager immediately. Vendors are not required to address or handle any confrontations or escalations with each other or the public.
Please take away your own garbage. The garbage cans provided are for customer use only.
Absolutely no dumping of any food products, garden waste or compost on the grounds. Compost can be left in a container, with your booth # on it, beside the main recycling station. If you are unable to carry the container, please notify the manager and we will take it to the compost. All compost is sorted by staff before it is put in the composter. Your container will be returned to your booth.
No sales of bottled drinks (water, pop, juice etc) allowed. Vendor bottled, VCH approved drinks are ok.
No smoking or vaping is permitted on or near the market grounds, we operate within a Regional Park. Smokers must go to Myrtle Avenue or McLeod Road to smoke. Cigarette butts should be disposed of responsibly and not left on the market grounds or littered.
Dogs and other pets are NOT allowed on the market grounds between Vendor Cut‐off and Car traffic permitted hours (except for service dogs). If you bring a pet with you please ensure they have water and stay securely inside your vehicle until the market is over. There are plenty of shady parking spots available even during the heat of the summer. Check with the manager if needed.
Please use only reusable, recyclable or biodegradable containers. No Styrofoam, compostable plastic, compostable corn-based plastic cutlery permitted. During the summer months we have a large selection of dishware available and a hired dishwasher.
Our community does not yet have a commercial composting facility to accommodate compostable plastic‐looking containers or corn‐based plastic cutlery so for now, these items go to landfills.
Vendors are required to attend at least one work party or complete one volunteer task per season. Physical strength or endurance is not needed for all tasks and tasks are available throughout the year. If you are unable to attend you can choose to pay the $10 volunteer exception fee, all these funds will go to support the volunteers at the work parties.
If any questions have arisen please contact us. powellriverfarmersmarket@gmail.com
Vendor Registration including Fall Fair
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