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Article 3. Certificates of California Food And Agricultural Code >> Division 17. >> Chapter 10.5. >> Article 3.
(a) An operator of a certified farmers' market shall
annually register with the department by applying for and obtaining a
certificate from the county agricultural commissioner's office in
the county in which the certified farmers' market is located. The
application shall include the times and location of the market, the
name and contact information for the operator of the market, and the
agent for service of process for the operator. Upon approval of an
application, the county agricultural commissioner shall issue to the
operator a certified farmers' market certificate.
(b) A certified farmers' market certificate issued by a county agricultural commissioner shall be valid for 12 months from the date of issue, and may be renewed annually thereafter. The county agricultural commissioner shall inspect every certified farmers' market within his or her jurisdiction at least once for every six months of operation. At the time of application or renewal, the county agricultural commissioner shall provide a schedule of fees that reflects an estimate of expenses for inspections and may charge a certification and inspection fee equal to the actual expenses incurred.
(c) (1) (A) Before selling at a certified farmers' market, a producer shall register with the department by applying for and obtaining a certificate from the county agricultural commissioner's office in the county in which the producer's land or facility is located. The application shall include a declaration by the producer that he or she is knowledgeable of and intends to produce in accordance with good agricultural practices, as outlined in the Small Farm Food Safety Guidelines published by the department. Upon approval of an application, the county agricultural commissioner shall issue to the producer a certified producer's certificate.
(B) A declaration made pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall not be used to infer that the producer is not required to comply with other state or federal laws relative to food safety and good agricultural practices.
(2) As part of obtaining or renewing a certified producer certificate, a producer farming fruit, vegetables, nuts, herbs, and similar crops shall annually submit to the county agricultural commissioner's office in the county in which the producer's land or facility is located information requested by the department about the specific crops that he or she will harvest or intends to harvest for sale directly to the public. The secretary may promulgate regulations specifying the information a producer is required to submit.
(3) A certified producer's certificate issued by a county agricultural commissioner shall be valid for up to 12 months from the date of issue and may be renewed annually thereafter. The county agricultural commissioner in each county shall perform at least one onsite inspection for all new certified producer's certificate applicants, and may perform additional inspections as needed of the property or properties listed on the certified producer's certificate issued in his or her county as deemed appropriate by the county agricultural commissioner to verify production of the commodities being sold at a certified farmers' market or the existence in storage of the producer's actual harvested production, or both, of any product being sold at a certified farmers' market. Where practical or purposeful, verification inspections shall be made when the actual harvest or sale of the commodity in question is occurring. The county agricultural commissioner shall provide to the producer a schedule of fees that reflects an estimate of expenses for certification or inspection at the time of application or renewal or before any needed additional verification inspection, and may charge a certification and inspection fee equal to the actual expenses incurred.
(d) Renewal of a certified farmers' market certificate or certified producer's certificate may be denied by either the department or a county agricultural commissioner if a certified farmers' market or a producer is delinquent in the payment of the required state fee or a county certification and inspection fee or administrative civil penalty authorized pursuant to this chapter. The certificate may be eligible for renewal when all outstanding balances and associated penalties or administrative fines have been paid to the department or the respective county or counties.
(b) A certified farmers' market certificate issued by a county agricultural commissioner shall be valid for 12 months from the date of issue, and may be renewed annually thereafter. The county agricultural commissioner shall inspect every certified farmers' market within his or her jurisdiction at least once for every six months of operation. At the time of application or renewal, the county agricultural commissioner shall provide a schedule of fees that reflects an estimate of expenses for inspections and may charge a certification and inspection fee equal to the actual expenses incurred.
(c) (1) (A) Before selling at a certified farmers' market, a producer shall register with the department by applying for and obtaining a certificate from the county agricultural commissioner's office in the county in which the producer's land or facility is located. The application shall include a declaration by the producer that he or she is knowledgeable of and intends to produce in accordance with good agricultural practices, as outlined in the Small Farm Food Safety Guidelines published by the department. Upon approval of an application, the county agricultural commissioner shall issue to the producer a certified producer's certificate.
(B) A declaration made pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall not be used to infer that the producer is not required to comply with other state or federal laws relative to food safety and good agricultural practices.
(2) As part of obtaining or renewing a certified producer certificate, a producer farming fruit, vegetables, nuts, herbs, and similar crops shall annually submit to the county agricultural commissioner's office in the county in which the producer's land or facility is located information requested by the department about the specific crops that he or she will harvest or intends to harvest for sale directly to the public. The secretary may promulgate regulations specifying the information a producer is required to submit.
(3) A certified producer's certificate issued by a county agricultural commissioner shall be valid for up to 12 months from the date of issue and may be renewed annually thereafter. The county agricultural commissioner in each county shall perform at least one onsite inspection for all new certified producer's certificate applicants, and may perform additional inspections as needed of the property or properties listed on the certified producer's certificate issued in his or her county as deemed appropriate by the county agricultural commissioner to verify production of the commodities being sold at a certified farmers' market or the existence in storage of the producer's actual harvested production, or both, of any product being sold at a certified farmers' market. Where practical or purposeful, verification inspections shall be made when the actual harvest or sale of the commodity in question is occurring. The county agricultural commissioner shall provide to the producer a schedule of fees that reflects an estimate of expenses for certification or inspection at the time of application or renewal or before any needed additional verification inspection, and may charge a certification and inspection fee equal to the actual expenses incurred.
(d) Renewal of a certified farmers' market certificate or certified producer's certificate may be denied by either the department or a county agricultural commissioner if a certified farmers' market or a producer is delinquent in the payment of the required state fee or a county certification and inspection fee or administrative civil penalty authorized pursuant to this chapter. The certificate may be eligible for renewal when all outstanding balances and associated penalties or administrative fines have been paid to the department or the respective county or counties.
(a) Every operator of a certified farmers' market shall
remit to the department, within 30 days after the end of each
quarter, a fee equal to the number of vendors participating and
selling goods under the authority and management of the certified
farmers' market operator participating on each market day for the
entire previous quarter. The fee shall be two dollars ($2) for each
vendor whose products were presented for sale on each market day. A
certified farmers' market operator may directly recover all or part
of the fee from the participating vendors. An operator of a certified
farmers' market located in a county with a population of less than
400,000 that allows only vendors of agricultural products produced by
producers on land located in the same county as the certified
farmers' market may petition the secretary for a vendor fee of one
dollar ($1). The petition shall include a statement of verification
of the information upon which the petition is based by the county
agricultural commissioner in the county where the certified farmers'
market is located.
(b) An operator of a certified farmers' market who fails to pay the required fee within 30 days after the end of the quarter in which it is due shall pay to the department a monthly interest charge on the unpaid balance and a late penalty charge, to be determined by the department and not to exceed the maximum amount permitted by law.
(c) All fees collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund. The money generated by the imposition of the fees shall be used, upon appropriation by the Legislature, by the department to cover the reasonable costs to carry out this chapter, including all of the following actions undertaken by the department:
(1) The coordination of the Certified Farmers' Market Advisory Committee or any ad hoc direct marketing advisory committee.
(2) The evaluation of county enforcement actions and assistance with regard to multiple county enforcement problems.
(3) The adoption of regulations to carry out the provisions of this chapter pertaining to certified farmers' markets.
(4) Hearings from actions taken to enforce this chapter.
(5) The maintenance of a current statewide listing of certified farmers' markets locations.
(6) The maintenance of a current statewide listing of producers who have been certified.
(7) The dissemination to all certified farmers' markets information regarding the suspension or revocation of any producer's certificate and the imposition of administrative penalties.
(8) Other actions, including the maintenance of special fund reserves, that are recommended by the Certified Farmers' Market Advisory Committee or any ad hoc direct marketing advisory committee and approved by the department for purposes of carrying out this chapter pertaining to certified farmers' markets.
(9) Investigation and enforcement expenses, including expenses incurred by any county agricultural commissioner for actions conducted pursuant to this chapter.
(b) An operator of a certified farmers' market who fails to pay the required fee within 30 days after the end of the quarter in which it is due shall pay to the department a monthly interest charge on the unpaid balance and a late penalty charge, to be determined by the department and not to exceed the maximum amount permitted by law.
(c) All fees collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund. The money generated by the imposition of the fees shall be used, upon appropriation by the Legislature, by the department to cover the reasonable costs to carry out this chapter, including all of the following actions undertaken by the department:
(1) The coordination of the Certified Farmers' Market Advisory Committee or any ad hoc direct marketing advisory committee.
(2) The evaluation of county enforcement actions and assistance with regard to multiple county enforcement problems.
(3) The adoption of regulations to carry out the provisions of this chapter pertaining to certified farmers' markets.
(4) Hearings from actions taken to enforce this chapter.
(5) The maintenance of a current statewide listing of certified farmers' markets locations.
(6) The maintenance of a current statewide listing of producers who have been certified.
(7) The dissemination to all certified farmers' markets information regarding the suspension or revocation of any producer's certificate and the imposition of administrative penalties.
(8) Other actions, including the maintenance of special fund reserves, that are recommended by the Certified Farmers' Market Advisory Committee or any ad hoc direct marketing advisory committee and approved by the department for purposes of carrying out this chapter pertaining to certified farmers' markets.
(9) Investigation and enforcement expenses, including expenses incurred by any county agricultural commissioner for actions conducted pursuant to this chapter.
