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Our goal is to provide easier access to local produce to the community in south Merced. We believe that everyone deserves easy access to food. In addition, we will also welcome other vendors such as prepare food vendors, artisans & hand-crafters and service providers.

Vendor Guidelines

KNFM is happy to bring a farmers market to south Merced. We want to connect local vendors to the community. Our goal is to keep it local by ensuring our vendors are from Merced and Stanislaus county, however we are happy to bring vendors from other counties if we do not already have that product in our market. All products sold at the market must be grown, created, or enhanced by the seller. If you are interested in becoming one of our vendors, please contact us today.

Kind Neighbor Farmers Market Rules

Vendors and Commodities

1. All Vendors must apply and be accepted by the Kind Neighbor Farmers Market to attend the market. All vendors must display all required permits, certificates, and licenses, in their market stall at each market they attend.

2. All commodities brought to the market must be listed on the vendor's original application. New commodities need to be approved by the Market Manager before they may be brought to the market. Vendors will be required to remove all unapproved commodities from their market stalls.

3. All vendors will be given a designated space; for instance, all certified vendors will be in one section, and all non-certified vendors will be in a different area. All products sold in the non-certified section must be approved by the Market Manager and comply with all applicable regulations.

Vendors who apply to sell crafts must follow these guidelines: the products must be created, sewn, constructed, or otherwise fashioned from component materials.

4. The KNFM wants everyone to have an opportunity to stand out that is why we will limit the amount of vendors selling a specific product. The KNFM team will determine the number of vendors who may sell the same product. This will depend on the customer demand and what is in season. The market manager must approve all new commodities.

5. No commission salespersons, brokers, or middlemen shall be allowed to sell products at a KNFM market.

Market Set-Up and Market Procedures

6. Please arrive on time to set up to ensure it doesn't interfere with market start times. This will also avoid crowded conditions and it will ensure the safety of the market.

Market location: Golden Valley Health Centers

747 W Childs Ave (Corner of "N" st and W. Childs Ave)

Merced, CA 95341

Market Dates: July 28th-September 29th

Every Wednesday: 5pm-8pm
To set up arrive no later than 4:45pm
Market Hours 5:00pm-8:00pm
All vehicles must be off market parking lot area by 4:45PM.
Vendors are asked NOT to start tearing down their vendor booth until after 8:00pm.
All vendors must pick up their own trash and throw it at the designated garbage disposal on site.

7. If a vendor is unable to attend a market, he/she must contact the Market Manager at least 24 hours in advance at 209-769-2992.

The market will run regardless of weather conditions as the market depends on regular attendance of our vendors. We understand that emergencies come up, such as lack of product, vehicle breakdown. However, there will be consequences and possible termination for irregular attendance for other reasons.

8. The size of the location will be determined by the Market Manager in advance. Possible rearrangements can be done upon approval, however, we do have to keep certified and non-certified separate.

9. Market stall rules:

Vendors shall maintain their market stalls as safe and organized as much as possible and shall adhere with all county health codes, including keeping all food products at least 6 inches above the ground.
Market stall must be swept clean before leaving the market.
Pre-packaged goods sold must display the weight, the contents and the seller’s name and address on the container.
No alcoholic beverages or vendor’s appearing intoxicated, chewing tobacco, smoking, bicycling, skating, skateboarding, or dogs are permitted in or around the market area.
Radios are not allowed to be played during market time.
Vendors shall be appropriately attired during market hours. Shoes and shirts must be worn at all times.

10. All vendors are responsible for the actions of their employees during each market. Each vendor agrees that the Market Manager may eject any vendor’s employee for inappropriate conduct at the market.

11. KNFM permits vendors to offer samples of produce or market products only under the following conditions:

All samples shall be provided in compliance with applicable county health department regulations, which regulations may vary from county to county.
Samples may only be given in a vendors designated stall space.
A vendor shall promptly pay any fine levied by a County Health Department for violation of its regulations on samples.

COVID-19 Safety Protocol

12. Mandatory Masks: By participating in this market season all vendors, sponsors and nonprofit organizations will be required to wear masks during the operating hours of the market from 5:30pm-8:30pm.

13. Modified Layout: Market stalls may need to be spaced apart to prevent crowding. Larger vendors will be placed on the edges of the market to allow for lines to form outside of the market areas.

14. Check-out lines: 6ft line spacing will be delineated at most stalls.

15. Merchandising: When possible, please consider an alternative lay-out for your stall that allows patrons to shop from the outside and not come into a confined area within your tent.

16. Limiting numbers: If/when crowds get too dense, we may ask patrons to wait in spaced lines outside of the market area until the numbers subside.

17. Contactless Payments: We highly encourage all vendors to accept some form of card or app based payment. This will allow for less cash handling and also speed up the transaction time.

18. Produce Handling (farm vendors): Please consider offering pre-measured and/or pre-bagged portions to cut down on handling of items. Another option is to have patrons order “deli-style,” where they tell the booth attendant what they want and it will be selected and bagged for them. This will prevent additional handling.

Cooperation & Discipline

19. We ask that all vendors respect and cooperate with the market rules and the market manager. If at any point any of these rules are violated there will be some consequences by the market manager and possible termination. Our goal is to ensure the market runs smoothly and effectively. In the event of a dispute regarding any action taken as a result of the behavior of a vendor or a vendor’s employees at the market, or as a result of the vendor’s failure to comply with these Rules; the vendor and the Board shall submit the matter to binding arbitration.

1st violation: verbal warning from market manager.

2nd violation: written warning and vendor will have meeting with the KNFM board and market manager. The board and manager will decide if vendor will get a fine or be suspended from attending future markets.

3rd violation: vendor's participation in the market will be terminated.

We are always looking for ways to improve. If you see there is something that needs improvement, or if you have any suggestions on how we can improve the market, please don't hesitate to let us know.