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market-farming - Re: Farmers' Markets (sign of the times?) (fwd)

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  • From: "delannw" <delannw AT dlogue.net>
  • To: "market farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Farmers' Markets (sign of the times?) (fwd)
  • Date: Tue, 16 May 2000 07:06:47 -0500


We are supposed to have a tax ID. If you run a business of any kind in
Illinois, you are supposed to have a business license.
I would bet that more than 3/4 of our vendors have both.

Interesting about the tax obligations. In our final market meeting before
the season opens, the Illinois Revenue Service is giving an hour long
presentation to vendors about collecting sales taxes at the farmers' market.
Most of us grow our own produce and aren't required to collect sales tax on
those sales. But there is plenty of reselling going on and that means
collecting sales tax. Breads, flowers, arts and crafts....all have their
own obligations.

The Saturday market is run with the cooperation and urging of the city of
Kankakee. Only the hot food vendors (tacos, pork sandwiches) are required
to have an additional license. The whole market is inspected at least once
a year by the health department. It would be incorrect to compare us to
someone selling melons on a streetcorner. We are an organized business
concern. The city is happy to have us and I am happy to be a part of
reviving a downtown area that could easily go into decline.

I don't think K-Mart, Kroger, Eagle or Jewel care about us at all. It is
the retail (year around) produce stores that object to us being in their
area (even if for only 6 hours a week). In fact, when we were asked to
leave Bourbonnais, IL last year, the mayor told us he was protecting his
businesses. He wasn't talking about a supermarket. He was talking about
permanent produce stands (that, by the way, sell at the Saturday market in
Kankakee).

I object to non-growers vending produce at the market. I object to
non-profit organizations selling produce even if their members grow it.
They can vend in front of their churches or yards but they don't belong in
an organized farmers market, in my opinion.

I also object to farmers markets selling produce like it has no value. It
would be good for our association to have some rules about minimum pricing
and fair competition at the market. Do any of you have minimum price rules
or fair pricing rules at your markets?






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