VENDORS
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Recruiting Vendors for a Farmers' Market
This guide from the Wallace Center provides tips for recruiting and retaining vendors and customers. Although some of the information may be outdated because it was published in 2007, the core information is still valuable. 2007.
Tips for Recruiting Vendors for Your Market
From the Virginia Farmers Market Association, this brief guide gives suggestions for recruiting vendors online and in person.
PODCAST: Application Excavation
In this episode of Tent Talk, the podcast from Farmers Market Pros, the hosts discuss tips for both managers and vendors on streamlining the application process and achieving the best results. 2024.
Crafts or No Crafts?: One Market’s Approach to Balancing Diversity and Integrity
This blog post from the Farmers Market Coalition was written by Vic Gutman, the former manager of the Omaha Farmers Market. They discuss what percentages of producers versus crafters they accept at their market and why. Although the blog post is relatively old, it still provides important insights for market managers. 2008.
From the Ann Arbor Farmers Market, this sample form is a comprehensive example of questions to ask and information to take note of when inspecting potential vendors’ farms and/or production areas. 2015.
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These documents list sample questions that market managers might list in vendor applications or vendor profiles to use for administrative or marketing purposes. If you are interested in sharing your vendor application as a resource for other market managers, please email ncfmn1@gmail.com.
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Annual Market-Vendor Communication Checklist
This communication checklist from The Center for Agriculture and Food Systems ensures that market managers maintain good relationships with vendors and also functions as a risk-management strategy. 2018.
Effective Communications in the Cultural Marketplace
This guide from the Washington State Farmers Market Association describes how market managers can effectively and positively communicate with vendors and customers from different cultural backgrounds. 2016.
Vendor Relations and Boundaries for Market Managers
This document from the Washington State Farmers Market Association provides tips for managers on developing and cultivating strong relationships with their vendors. It also discusses boundaries, teamwork, and dealing with conflict. 2016.
This census report, especially pages 16-21, can help market managers determine appropriate vendor fees based on state-wide averages. 2022.
This sample form from the Portland Farmers Market provides an example of ways that market managers can establish communication with their vendors in the event of concerns. 2013.
This handbook from the Vancouver Farmers Market lays out vendor expectations, policies, and other important information. 2020.
SLIDES: NC Farm School: Farm Business Laws and Regulations: Sales Tax
This slide deck from NCSU’s Extension Assistant Professor Andrew Branan, JD, walks vendors and market managers through state sales tax laws. 2024.