Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 2 - Agriculture and Commerce › Part 1 - Rules of the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce › Subpart 5 - Central Market Board › Chapter 05 - Rules Governing The Farmers Market › Operating Guidelines › Section 2-1-5-05-104

Current through June 25, 2024
The following guidelines apply to Market
						operations:
1. The Board shall have the
					 authority to set rent rates for vendors on Market grounds and shall reevaluate
					 such rates on an annual basis. Rates shall be set to support financial
					 stability of the Market and to encourage participation in the Market.
2. Each vendor, whether in cooperation with
					 other growers or not, shall individually pay a stall fee. Rental fees will be
					 paid on a daily basis for each stall space occupied.
3. Vendors must use the space as authorized
					 by the Market Manager.
4. Vendors
					 must notify the Market Manager before delivering, engaging in business, or
					 occupying space on the market grounds.
5. At no time may a vendor's display restrict
					 the view of other vendors at the market.
6. No vendor may sub-lease or sub-let their
					 space at any given time.
7. The
					 Market Manager must approve signage.
8. Vendors may have coolers, as approved by
					 the Market Manager, in the rented space.
9. The Market will provide waste containers
					 and basic electrical service. The Market will not provide electrical cords or
					 other electrical extensions.
10.
					 The Market will also provide water connections for the vendors. The Market will
					 not provide hoses or other connection equipment needed to dispense
					 water.
11. Hoses and other watering
					 apparatuses must be put away and turned off immediately upon termination of use
					 and must not pose a threat to others.
12. Standing water must be swept to the
					 nearest drain.
13. No vendor shall
					 enter into price agreements to raise, lower, or fix prices for products on the
					 Market. Vendors are not to influence other vendors to sell lower or higher
					 other than through natural competition.
14. Each vendor operates privately and
					 separately, and it is the individual responsibility of each vendor to comply
					 with all city, county, state and federal laws and regulations concerning
					 packaging, labeling, taxation, food safety and sanitation, etc.
15. No vendor is to approach customers while
					 at the location of another vendor. No calling out of prices will be
					 permitted.
16. Use of the product
					 label "Organic" must be in accordance with all Federal and State laws, rules,
					 and regulations.
17. No live
					 animals shall be offered for sale at the Market.
18. No smoking or tobacco use shall be
					 allowed in the building.
19. No
					 alcohol, intoxicating beverage or narcotic, nor any person under the influence
					 thereof, shall be allowed on the market premises.
20. Loitering in or around the Market after
					 designated operating hours is prohibited.
21. No eighteen-wheelers shall be allowed on
					 Market grounds.
22. No repairs on
					 vehicles, other than emergency repairs, may be performed on Market
					 grounds.
23. All vehicles belonging
					 to or used by the vendor must be parked directly behind their rented stall or
					 in customer parking, and must be moved on a daily basis (cannot stay after
					 Market closes).
24. No soliciting
					 of products other than approved items will be permitted.
25. No pets are allowed in the building with
					 the exception of dogs aiding the handicapped.
26. No loading or unloading of products in a
					 stall in front of the customer walkway is allowed.
27. No person shall deface or damage the
					 Market building.
28. Vendors are
					 responsible for the actions, behavior, and dress of their representatives,
					 employees or agents. Shoes and shirts must be worn at all times.
29. All vendors and vendor personnel are
					 responsible for a daily proper disposal and removal of refuse, discards, and
					 garbage from their rented space, including, without limitation, the ten feet in
					 front and rear of rented space and five feet on all sides of any vehicle parked
					 at a rented space.
30. Vendor
					 displays and storage must be kept sanitary on a daily basis.
31. The Market is not liable and assumes no
					 responsibility for any personal items or property in or around the
					 stall(s).
32. The Mississippi
					 Department of Agriculture and Commerce has the right to invite any outside
					 vendor for temporary, promotional events with those individuals adhering to
					 only the Operational Guidelines.'
33. To the fullest extent allowed by law,
					 each vendor shall indemnify, defend, save, hold harmless, protect and exonerate
					 the Board, its directors, employees, agents, representatives, the Market
					 Manager, and the State of Mississippi from and against all claims, demands,
					 liabilities, suits, actions, damages and losses for personal injury, death or
					 property damage, including, without limitation, court costs, investigative fees
					 and attorneys' fees arising out of such vendor's operations on the Board's
					 grounds, and whether caused by the vendor or his agents, employees or
					 subcontractors. Each vendor shall be solely responsible for all costs and/or
					 expenses associated with such defense.
34. Vendors may leave their products and
					 other property in the stall space over night only if the rental fee has been
					 paid in advance.
35. Upon
					 departure, all space for which tenant is responsible, as described above, must
					 be left clean.
36. If the vendor
					 has been absent from Market and rent has accrued, tenant must, upon his return
					 to the Market, pay all delinquent rent and/or fees before engaging in business
					 again.
37. The Market Manager
					 reserves the right to eject from the grounds any individual who interferes with
					 the commerce and operation of the Market.
38. If a vendor violates any of these rules,
					 he may be debarred by the Market Manager from operating as a vendor at the
					 Market.
39. If the Mississippi
					 Legislature or the United States Congress fails to appropriate the funds
					 necessary to operate the Market, the Market Manager may debar any or all of the
					 vendors from operating at the Market.
40. The Market Manager may debar any or all
					 of the vendors from operating at the Market at the convenience of the Market
					 Manager.
41. Based on variation in
					 market products and seasonal changes of available products, the Board gives the
					 Market Manager, with the Board's approval, the flexibility to set the ratio of
					 Mississippi producer grown products and the non-MS producer grown products
					 available for sale at the market.
42. No person or organization may solicit
					 money, votes or signatures or engage in a protest, demonstration or political
					 activity/speech, including distribution of written material until after he has
					 registered with the Market Manager. Such activities must be conducted at least
					 100 feet from the Market building and in an area specifically designated by the
					 Market Manager. No more than twenty-five (25) people may engage in such
					 activities on behalf of the subject organization, political candidate or
					 ideology being advocated. Any person participating in a protest, demonstration
					 or political speech at the market may carry a sign, display or poster no larger
					 than nine (9) square feet in area in his hands or on his body during such
					 activity. The Market Manager reserves the right to eject from the grounds any
					 individual who interferes with or disrupts the commerce and operation of the
					 Market. This regulation should not be considered a limitation on the rental of
					 the Market for political rallies or activities during non-operating
					 hours.
Miss. Code Ann.
						§
												69-7-109.