question for small seed producers

garnetmoth · July 20, 2009

Hello all,

I am looking at setting up a table at the local farmer's market this fall, they also have handmade items, jewelry etc, and I have variously made shopping bags, jewelry, some cards, etc. and would also like to sell flowers maybe next year. I was also thinking about seeds and seedlings, as herbs and veg starts are sold there too. . . .

Does anyone here sell their own seeds or seedlings? How does one legally do this? From what I can tell, the US federal requirements for seed selling is to do germination tests on a lot of 200 seeds (for some things, this is a large # of the seeds I have!).

Ive gotten some neat varieties just trading seeds, and I guess Id be able to include them as freebies with purchases....I just dont want any legal trouble.

remy · July 20, 2009

If you are just selling at the farmer's market and are not making an actual legal business set up as a seed seller that will be paying taxes and monitored by the powers that be, I wouldn't worry about it. I don't think the feds are cruising the farmer's markets unless they like fresh produce

. Of course do smaller test batches of your seeds to make sure that the seeds are germinating properly.
Remy

Blueaussi · July 21, 2009

At Historic Camden's fall and spring Market Day we sell seeds at the plant booth. No germination tests, just seed that's been donated to us. The plant booth ladies were doing it long before I ever started working with them, from sometime in the mid 80's, I think.

No one has ever said a word to us. Of course, since any powers that be would have to chastise the very distinguished and genteel Southern Lady Gardeners who ran the booth, and that would have been so...well, gauche; the powers-that-be might have politely looked the other way.

**carolyn137** · July 21, 2009

There's much more information about this topic in the Growing for Market Forum here, in various threads.

Rules and regulations for selling this and that vary by city, county and state, as you'll see in those threads.

garnetmoth · July 22, 2009

Thanks for the input and pointers all!

when you sign up for the market, they have you sign a paper that says you are abiding by all regulations and have your license- i was going to go ahead and get my transient vendor license from the State, its just $25 and it would give me piece of mind.

July 20, 2009	#1
garnetmoth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: cincinnati, oh Posts: 492	question for small seed producers Hello all, I am looking at setting up a table at the local farmer's market this fall, they also have handmade items, jewelry etc, and I have variously made shopping bags, jewelry, some cards, etc. and would also like to sell flowers maybe next year. I was also thinking about seeds and seedlings, as herbs and veg starts are sold there too. . . . Does anyone here sell their own seeds or seedlings? How does one legally do this? From what I can tell, the US federal requirements for seed selling is to do germination tests on a lot of 200 seeds (for some things, this is a large # of the seeds I have!). Ive gotten some neat varieties just trading seeds, and I guess Id be able to include them as freebies with purchases....I just dont want any legal trouble.

July 20, 2009	#2
remy Buffalo-Niagara Tomato TasteFest™ Coordinator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Z6 WNY Posts: 2,354	If you are just selling at the farmer's market and are not making an actual legal business set up as a seed seller that will be paying taxes and monitored by the powers that be, I wouldn't worry about it. I don't think the feds are cruising the farmer's markets unless they like fresh produce. Of course do smaller test batches of your seeds to make sure that the seeds are germinating properly. Remy __________________ "I wake to sleep and take my waking slow" -Theodore Roethke Yes, we have a great party for WNY/Ontario tomato growers every year on Grand Island! Owner of The Sample Seed Shop

July 21, 2009	#4
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	There's much more information about this topic in the Growing for Market Forum here, in various threads. Rules and regulations for selling this and that vary by city, county and state, as you'll see in those threads. __________________ Carolyn

July 21, 2009	#3
Blueaussi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Carolina Zone 8a Posts: 1,205	At Historic Camden's fall and spring Market Day we sell seeds at the plant booth. No germination tests, just seed that's been donated to us. The plant booth ladies were doing it long before I ever started working with them, from sometime in the mid 80's, I think. No one has ever said a word to us. Of course, since any powers that be would have to chastise the very distinguished and genteel Southern Lady Gardeners who ran the booth, and that would have been so...well, gauche; the powers-that-be might have politely looked the other way.

July 22, 2009	#5
garnetmoth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: cincinnati, oh Posts: 492	Thanks for the input and pointers all! when you sign up for the market, they have you sign a paper that says you are abiding by all regulations and have your license- i was going to go ahead and get my transient vendor license from the State, its just $25 and it would give me piece of mind.