Farmer/Vendor Application Process
The application process varies based on the type of produce or products you are selling. Please select the appropriate application below:
Agricultural Producers (Farmers)
You should use this application process if your products are:
Certified Agricultural Products. Certified agricultural products are fruits, nuts, vegetables, shell eggs, honey, cut flowers and potted plants/nursery stock in their natural, fresh, or raw state. In order to sell any of these products in a certified farmers’ market, the producer/grower must be certified by their local County Agricultural Commissioner’s office. Many commodities also have additional licensing required for pest monitoring, quality controls and marketing purposes. These commodities include avocados, shell eggs, honey, cut flowers and nursery stock. All applicants must fill out the appropriate application and present their application at the market with all required licensing.
The following items must be received with your application (if they are applicable to your product):
Certified Producers Certificate from Ag Commissioners office
State Nursery Stock license or nursery stock exemption license
Avocado Exemption Permit (for current season)
Organic Certification and documentation from Certifying Agency
State Organic Registration
Egg Handlers Certification and Flock Registration
Health Permits needed for any non-certified ag products (see section for non-certified producers)
If your products are Non-Certifiable Ag Products, or Processed Foods see below. You should use this second application process if your products are as described in a category below:
(1) Non-Certified Agricultural Products
Non-certifiable, agricultural items (non-food) or processed foods created from a certified agricultural product and sold by the farm or certified producer of the raw products, include: some bakery items, dried fruits and vegetables, flavorings added to an agricultural item (salted nuts, etc), olive oil, canned fruits and vegetables, body care items, jams and jellies, all meat items and juices/cider. This category may also include animal products: wool, livestock items, feathers, game bird eggs and beneficial insects.
(2) Processed/Cooked Food Products
Processed/Cooked Food Products such as bakery items, candies, spices, canned food items, jams and jellies, seafood or meat items, flavored oils and salsas, specialty foods and all hot or cooked on-site foods.
Processed/Cooked Food Vendors For direct marketing purposes these processed or cooked food items must be harvested, created, cooked, baked or otherwise produced by the person selling the item or their verified employee. These employees cannot be franchisees, distributors, agents, or otherwise commissioned salespersons. This ancillary area is not to be used for the distribution or wholesale of mass-produced items or international food products. Processed/cooked food vendors will be responsible for meeting the requirements (including sinks) of the County Health Agency that licenses their booth at the market. These licenses are known as Temporary Food Facilities (TFF’s), Mobile Food Facilities/Trucks (MFF’s) and Pre-Packaged, Non-Potentially Hazardous Food/Beverages (TFF2’s). At this time, the VCCFMA is not accepting applications from Cottage Food vendors whose products are manufactured in a home kitchen under the California Homemade Food Act (AB1616) due to liability concerns nor any CBD or hemp based products
The following items must be received with your application if they are applicable to your product:
County Health Permit for site of product production
Letter of Authorization of use from owner of commercial, health dept. licensed production site (if site is owned by someone else)
State of California Processed Food Registration (PFR)
State of California Canning License[PHFs]) (if products made in a processing facility or are canned or potentially hazardous foods
Organic Certification with approved product list
Additional Insured Certificate of Product Liability Insurance ($1 million limit minimum) made out to Ventura County Certified Farmers Markets, PO Box 1050, Fillmore, CA 93016 USDA Meat licenses
CA Fish and Wildlife Licenses and Permits
Department of Weights & Measures Registration & Licensing for all scales used to weigh sales
Board of Equalization Seller’s Permit for any taxable items
Photos of booth set up will be required of all new vendors
Samples of labels and containers must be reviewed before final acceptance for compliance with CA
Additional License Needed for all Processed Food Products (Group 2): **County Health Permit for booth operation in market (MFF, TFF or Pre-Packaged) *Do not obtain these health permits until acceptance letter is given by VCCFMA. (Links below)
Links to Ventura & Los Angeles County Health Departments:
Ventura Health Department
Los Angeles Health Department
Artisan Handcrafted Items
CURRENTLY THE MARKET IS NOT ACCEPTING ARTISIAN HANDCRAFTED VENDORS BUT YOU ARE WELCOME TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR US TO KEEP ON FILE.
You should use this application process if your products are:
Artisan handcrafted items (In certain market sites and under strict guidelines, the VCCFMA will allow the sale of hand crafted artisan products or handmade craft items).These are not food items.
Application Process
Please review our policies and required documents. Complete applications will be reviewed and market needs assessed for your product(s). You will be placed on a waiting list and all applications are held on file until there is an opening.
A written authorization will accompany your acceptance into a VCCFMA market. Incomplete applications or items that do not meet our admittance criteria will not be processed.
**The preferred method of application is by email to Info@vccfm.org with photos and documents attached by PDF.
All mail correspondence should be addressed to:
Ventura Co. Certified Farmers’ Markets
Attn: Market Applications
P.O. Box 1050
Fillmore, CA 93016-1050