Kalispell Farmers’ Market 2024 Rules & Regulations

Kalispell Farmers’ Market

PO Box 665

Kalispell, MT  59903

Market Phone: (406) 260-5102

 

Market Hours

 

Saturdays from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm at the Flathead Valley Community College,. south lot off of Grandview Drive

Spring Season: May 4 – July 20

Fall Season: July 27 – October 12

 

 

General

 

1.       New vendors must apply and be approved before selling.  Fill out a Vendor Application by visiting https://www.kalispellfarmersmarket.org/vendor-application/, call (406) 260-5102 or email [email protected] with any questions.

2.       Vendors who are unable to act in a courteous, respectful manner to other vendors or market employees will be banned from the market.  NO REFUND of parking fees will be made.

3.       The rules of the Kalispell Farmers’ Market supersede the college, Health Dept., and/or state. The KFM Board has final authority on all activities of the market. 

 

 

Parking Regulations

 

Fees for Non-Reserved

Non-reserved fees are $15.00 per selling space, payable upon entrance to the market.  Three space maximum.

 

Non-Reserved Parking

1.       Non-reserved parking vendors will be parked between 8:00 and 8:30 a.m.  Vendors must be set up and vehicles moved by 8:55 a.m.

2.       Parking personnel will park non-assigned vendors in order of arrival. 

3.       Vendors must cooperate with market staff in regards to parking.

4.       Lineup is on the West side of the market, through the customer parking lot.

5.       If not selling from the vehicle, unload quickly and move your vehicle to the vendor parking area, THEN set up your display.

 

Fees for Reserved

Reserved parking fees are $110.00 per space per season.  Maximum of 3 spaces.  We do NOT prorate reserved parking fees.  Fees must be paid in full prior to setting up at market.

 

Reserved Parking

1.        Reserved parking vendors may park between 6:30 and 8:00 a.m.  Vehicles must be unloaded and moved by 8:00 a.m., NO EXCEPTIONS.

2.       There are no refunds or sub-letting of spaces.

3.       Vendors must cooperate with market staff regarding parking.

4.       The Market Manager reserves the right to offer vendors the opportunity to consolidate into a central area on low attendance days.

Fees collected are used for advertising, insurance, 4-H awards, supplies and for the Market Manager and bookkeeper.

 

 

Seller/Membership Requirements

 

New vendors MUST be approved before selling.  Fill out a Vendor Application by visiting https://www.kalispellfarmersmarket.org/vendor-application/.

1.        Membership is open to those wishing to sell home-based products such as handcrafts and arts items.  These items MUST be made exclusively by the vendor.  Garden produce, plants, trees, shrubs, fruit, bulbs, tubers, honey or eggs MUST have been grown or raised on owned or leased property in Flathead, Lake, or Lincoln Counties. 

2.       When applying online, the signing of the application verifies that the vendor has read, understands and agrees to follow the Rules and Regulations.

3.       We encourage that the business owner(s) be the primary seller at the market.  Should you choose to send an employee in your absence, be aware that it’s your responsibility to inform the employee of the rules and regulations that you’ve agreed to follow.  You will be held responsible for their actions at market, and infractions of our rules could lead to your dismissal from the market.

 

Vendors

1.       Vendors shall provide their own tables, scales, change, bags and signs.  Spaces are the size of a common parking space (8 ft x 23 ft – between the lines).  If your canopy or other part of your set-up goes over the line of the adjacent space, they must approve of your encroachment into their selling space.

2.       Vendors are responsible for their tents, awnings, displays, vehicles, and all items in their booth space.  It is highly recommended to weigh your tent/awnings down.  If wind gusts start, please remove your canvas/cloth top immediately.  If any of your property falls or is blown over and damages another vendor’s property, you are liable for all damages to their vehicles, displays, items for sale or personal damage to them.  Please be aware that unusual wind-like micro bursts do happen and they happen fast.  Be prepared, as a person cannot hold down a tent and many weights can go airborne.  You may wish to purchase liability insurance.   The Kalispell Farmer's Market, Board of Directors, and any employees assume no responsibility whatsoever for any damages incurred. 

3.       Vendors are responsible for all damage done to any facility or property that the Kalispell Farmer's Market utilizes for its functions, including damage caused by the vendor's family members and or employees.

4.       Only vendors selling that day may buy from other vendors prior to the opening bell.  If possible, complete these transactions at least 15 minutes before the opening bell.

5.       Vendors cannot sell, buy, or lay away product for customers prior to the opening bell.  They may use numbers, if necessary, to establish buyer priorities.  Hawking is not allowed.  Hawking is drawing attention to your booth to get customers walking by to come to your selling area.

6.       Vendors may advertise independently.  Vendors determine their own prices.

7.       It is the responsibility of vendors to clean their area prior to leaving the market.

8.       Vendors may hand out produce lists, price lists, business cards, or other advertising concerning their business.  Vendors may NOT operate petition drives, solicit donations or exchange handouts for other businesses or religious or political affiliations.

9.       All products are subject to review at any time.  If it is decided that a product does not meet the criteria for the market, the vendor will be asked to discontinue selling those items.  Failure to comply will end the vendors selling privilege at the market until the compliance is assured.

10.       Animals are not allowed in the market area except for registered service dogs.  This includes animals belonging to vendors. Companion or emotional support animals are not considered a service animal.

11.   NO ONE may sell to customers before the bell ringing at 9:00 a.m. or after 12:30 p.m. unless that transaction was already taking place at the final bell or you are actively packing up and closing your booth.  You may not linger in the parking lot after 12:30 p.m. and need to be packed up and out of the parking lot by 1:30 p.m.

12.   Vendors may not broadcast audio from any device or vehicle during set up, break down or during market hours.  Headphones must be used for those wishing to listen to audio.

 

Rules for All Vendors

1.       NO ONE is allowed on FVCC property before 6:00 a.m. or after 1:30 p.m.

2.       Vehicles may not be moved into or from the market area until the bell has been rung at 12:30 p.m.

3.       Vendor vehicles must be parked in the North lot of the LRC Building (East of the motorcycle parking lot), if they are not being used to sell out of.

4.       The FVCC is a NON-Smoking campus.  No smoking is allowed on this tobacco free campus, including e-cigs.

5.       A vendor may only leave before 12:30 p.m. if they sell out, walk out with their tables and supplies.  NO vehicles may be moved during the market. NO EXCEPTIONS!

6.       NO vehicles (not even the front tires) may park or drive on the grass at FVCC.  All generators must be on the pavement and cannot be on the grass.

 

Plants, Produce and Fruit

1.       All purchased cuttings or plugs must be in seller’s possession no less than fourty five (45) days prior to date of sale.  Trees, roses, etc.,  must be in the seller’s possession no less than ninety (90) days prior to date of sale.  Verification of this, including shipping date shall be given to the Market Manager the first time selling.   These are to be kept on file.

2.       Vendors wishing to sell products as “certifed organic” shall provide proof of certification.  A copy shall be given to the Market Manager and another prominently displayed in the vendor’s  

selling space.  You may not advertise organic unless you are certified organic.

3.       Wild Crafting:  Sale of items legally wild-crafted from the Flathead, Lake, or Lincoln Counties is allowed;  such as berries, grasses, dried materials, etc. Wild mushrooms may be sold by a vendor with a Wholesale Food license which has been approved by the State of Montana and local DPHHS.

4.       Seed potatoes are not permitted to be sold at the market. 

5.       Sampling allowed only after approval of the Market Manager. 

 

Art/Handmade Crafts

1.        Crafters are honor-bound not to offer resale items for sale.  You may only sell items that you made.  The Market Manager exercises full discretion over the ”making” of art, crafts, assembled, handmade and printed items.  If at any time it is determined that an item is not made by you, the Market Manager has the right to request you cease in selling the product(s) in question, which may result in forfeiture of your booth space without refund. 

2.       The products made by artists and crafters shall be juried before selling at the market.  Submit 1 to 3 pictures with your online application.  Each jpeg picture must not exceed 8 mb in file size.

3.       Any time a crafter adds a new item to their “for sale” inventory, the new item will also need to be juried.

4.       Only those items listed on the Juried App/Seller Agreement forms are to be offered for sale.

5.       All vendors wishing to sell products containing CBD must provide certificates of analysis for those products.  No CBD products marketed or intended for human consumption are to be sold.

 

Eggs

1.        Vendors shall keep eggs under refrigeration/cooler at 45 degrees during transportation to Market and during Market.

2.       Eggs shall be kept in suitable containers.  Only new containers may be used.

3.       In purchasing eggs, customers may provide their own egg cartons. 

4.       On egg cartons and/or signage, eggs shall be labeled “Ungraded”.

5.       All eggs shall be marked with the vendor’s name, address and phone number.

 

 

Kalispell Farmers’ Market Food Policies

 

The following policies have been enacted by the Board of Directors and address current legislation regulating food items sold at Farmer’s Markets. 

1.        All vendors selling baked goods and jams/jellies that are not produced in a licensed kitchen must be registered with the Flathead, Lake or Lincoln County Environmental Health Agency under the Cottage Food Law.  This is the Kalispell Farmers’ Market’s requirements, not the State of Montana’s.  Contact your local health department to register with that agency and mail your Cottage License with list of items you are authorized to sell to KFM at PO Box 665  Kalispell, MT  59903.

2.       Baked Goods:  (breads, cakes, candies, cookies, pastries, and pies) shall be individually wrapped, or under see-through containers.  Tongs and/or plastic gloves shall be used for distribution to customers.

 

Food

1.       The selling of any type of food (other than vegetables, plants, fruit) or drink is by invitation of the Board of Directors only and is on a renewable yearly basis.

2.       It is the responsibility of the individual food vendor to ensure that such products as baked items, honey, cider, jams, and other processed foods are prepared per the State of Montana.   The required licenses per the health department in your county will need to be submitted via email or mailed in for review.  Food vendors shall display their license each time they sell at market and also provide a copy to the Market Manager.

3.       On-site food preparation is by invitation of the Board of Directors only.  These vendors must have the appropriate county licenses too.

4.       Sampling allowed only after approval of the Market Manager.  No cut fruit or vegetables allowed.  In addition to Market Manager approval, sampling must be in accordance with local health department regulations. 

5.       Potentially hazardous food:  Shall not be offered for sale.  These include cut melons, garlic and oil mixtures, a food of animal origin that is raw or heat-treated, and food of plant origin that is heat-treated or consists of raw seed sprouts.

6.       Raw and unprocessed farm products, refers to fruits, vegetables, and grains sold in their natural state that are not packaged, labeled, combined with other food products, or peeled, diced, cut, blanched, or otherwise subjected to value-adding procedures.

7.       A vendor wishing to sell processed farm products shall hold a processing license and these farm products shall be processed at the location stipulated in the license.

8.       Transportation of frozen food to Market:  Poultry, meat, seafood, or other perishable foods must have approval of the Health Department.

9.       Vendors shall have a license for the facility where the product is processed, packaged, and stored which includes a mobile transportation provision.

 

 

Food Vendor Requirements

1.        Vendors will be juried on creativity, WOW factor, uniqueness, variety, local sourced ingredients, and originality.   Menu must be submitted.  Any items that you are selling need to be approved before you sell them.

2.       Food must have value added.  This means you must have made it or the toppings that go on it or side dishes that go with it.  You may not resell purchased items such as pop, bottled water, chips, candy, etc.  Only homemade items that you put some effort into making.

3.       You may not give away free items.

4.       You may sell iced tea/lemonade or drinks that are made and have flavors added.  Ex: lemon cucumber water, mint mango water, etc.

5.       ONLY approved food vendors preparing food onsite may resell purchased canned or bottled beverages.

6.       Your mobile cart must fit into your designated space.  Maximum of three spaces allowed.

7.       Food vendors are encouraged to have a reserved space and must be in the space/spaces by 8:00 a.m. Non-Reserved Food Vendors (with all required paperwork previously submitted and approved) must line up prior to 7:45 a.m.   At that time they will be directed to a parking space for the day by the Market Manager or Parking Assistant.

8.       Food vendors must have all applicable licenses and inspections and comply with all Health Department Regulations.

9.       Only generators that are low noise may be used at the market. Generators must be inside your space. NOTHING CAN BE ON THE GRASS AT FVCC!

 

 

2024 COVID PRECAUTIONS

 

1.       Masks or face shields are welcome, though not required at this time.

2.       Market precautions are subject to change by the KFM Board at any time based on community transmission numbers and/or changes in local, state or CDC recommendations.

 

 

Revised February 12, 2024