Farmers' Market Certified Producer Certificate
San Luis Obispo County is home to numerous weekly Certified Farmers’ Markets, with at least one operating almost every day of the week. The markets give consumers the chance to meet and buy products directly from many Certified Producers. Fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, plants, flowers and certain processed agricultural goods available year-round offer shoppers the bounty of each season.
California Certified Farmers’ Markets allow producers to offer certain types of products directly to the public. To sell within a Certified Farmers’ Market, a producer must be Certified. Certification is done by obtaining a Farmers' Market Certified Producers Certificate issued by the County of San Luis Obispo Department of Agriculture/Weights and Measures. The Certificate documents what crops producers are growing and where crops are grown.
Contact your nearest County of San Luis Obispo Department of Agriculture/Weights and Measures office for a Certified Producer's application or print from the website. Return the completed form to the County of San Luis Obispo Department of Agriculture/Weights and Measures office. Additional paperwork may be requested such a notarized copy of the growing site lease agreement.
The application will be reviewed and a growing site inspection will be scheduled. A site inspection is performed to ensure that all of the commodities listed on the application are actually grown by the applicant.
Once a Certified Producer’s Certificate is issued, it must be conspicuously displayed at any Certified Farmers’ Market where the producer is selling.
For a list of market locations and times, refer to the Farmers Market Schedule.
Is there a charge for this service?
Refer to the County of San Luis Obispo Department of Agriculture/Weights and Measures Fee Schedule.
When and where is this service offered?
This service is available throughout the year during regular business hours except during scheduled holidays.
Location, directions and hours of operation
Click on location name to show hours of operation, directions and phone information
Monday - Friday 8-4
810 West Branch
Arroyo Grande, CA 93420
Tel: (805) 473-7090
Fax: (805) 473-7094
Monday - Friday 8-5
2156 Sierra Way
San Luis Obispo , CA 93401
Tel: (805) 781-5910
Fax: (805) 781-1035
Monday - Friday 8-4
350 North Main Street
Templeton, CA 93465
Tel: (805) 434-5950
Fax: (805) 434-5953
FAQS
A certified producers’ certificate allows a producer to sell in any certified farmers’ market in California.
Non-agricultural products cannot be sold within the certified section of a market. This includes crafts, bakery items, candies, soaps, balms, perfumes, cosmetics, candles, foraged foods, fertilizer, compost, clothing and ceramics.
Certified and non-certified agricultural products can be sold within a certified market.
Dairy, livestock meats, poultry meats and processed agricultural products.
Fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, nuts, herbs, mushrooms, grains, honey, shell eggs, cut flowers and nursery stock.
A notarized copy of the lease agreement must be provided prior to the issuing of a certified producer’s certificate.
A Certified Producer Certificate is good for one year. After a year, the Certified Producer Certificate can be renewed. A yearly site inspection is required on all non-permanent crops.
No, a certified producer’s certificate allows you to sell, but does not guarantee you a spot. We recommend talking to market managers and making sure that you can get into a market prior to obtaining a Certified Producer Certificate.
You can certify the ingredients of the jam as long as they were produced by you.
