Farmer Marketing

Simple, inventive ways to increase the value of farm fresh products through direct marketing, internet marketing, and creativity.

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Government Regulations Part II

So we continue to have issues with the state about selling our tomatoes by the pound. Let me give you the situation from which this arose.

New Location

The market relocated from a parking lot on a main street to a larger and more accomodating parking lot in Old Town. This move was debated highly, but made because of many factors. Some vendors weren't happy of course and have been attempting to start another market in another part of town. I only mention this because the heavy hand of the Weights and Measures people didn't come down until they received "complaints" about the way things were being sold. Mind you we have been selling tomatoes this way for four years and thousands of people have NOT complained. So as you can see the timing is somewhat suspicious.

Solutions?

Right now the only way to deal with this regulation is to sell tomatoes by weight. That is not what I would like to do as Part I below mentions, but it has to do for now. The only possibility I can think of for next year is to get an amendment passed in the state legislature that will amend the current statute to exempt farmer's markets from regulation. This will require some time and connections, but I think it can be pulled off. However, do any of you readers out there know how you write something like that?