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Frequently Asked Questions & Policies

About Our Organization

  • Does Portland Farmers Market (PFM) operate all the farmers markets in Portland?
  • How long has PFM been around?
    • Craig Mosbaek, Dr. Richard Hagan and Ted Snider establish Portland Farmers Market and hold the first market on Saturday, June 13, 1992 in the Albers Mill parking lot on NW Naito Parkway along the Willamette River with 13 vendors. 
    • By the end of the inaugural season, the vendor pool had grown to 22.
  • Does PFM receive city, federal, or state funding to operate its markets?
    • Portland Farmers Market is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit organization operated by paid staff and governed by an all-volunteer board of directors.
    • The organization is funded through vendor fees, the generous support of market sponsors, fundraising campaigns and countless hours of volunteer time.
  • How do I become a PFM vendor?
    Review the Become a Vendor page of our website to learn more.
  • How can I become a market volunteer?
    Visit the Volunteer section of our website to learn more and submit an interest form.
  • Why does PFM have sponsors?
    • Vendors’ fees at PFM cover the essential cost of operating the markets, including site rental, permits, advertising, insurance, and staffing.
    • To keep vendors’ fees as low as possible and fund educational outreach, PFM solicits sponsors for individual markets, special events and programs. Learn more about becoming a PFM sponsor here.
    • Prospective sponsors are evaluated individually to ensure there is no direct conflict with the PFM mission.

 

Music at the Markets

  • Who do I contact about playing music at one of our farmers markets?
    Email music@portlandfarmersmarket.org.
  • Does PFM allow buskers at the markets?
    • Busking is permitted at PSU Farmers Market on a case-by-case basis.
    • Buskers must check in at the market information booth before performing to assign them an area, if available. 
    • After one hour, our market operations staff will ask buskers to move to a new location. 
    • For more information, please read our 2024 Busker Agreement.

Pets at the Markets

  • Can I bring my pet to the market?
    • At PFM’s two busy downtown markets (PSU and Shemanski Park), we ask that pet owners keep their pets away from market vendors and shopper walkways.
    • At PFM’s three neighborhood markets (King, Kenton and Lents International), pets must be kept away from the market vendor booths but are allowed to be in the shopper walkways.
    • Pet owners must abide by the following rules to make a pet’s visit to the market a good experience for everyone:
      • Pets must be kept on a short leash by their owner’s side at all times.
      • Pets must be under control at all times.
      • Keep pets away from produce, plants, and other food products.
      • Pets must be friendly with other animals and children to earn the right to be at the market.
      • Be considerate—not everyone loves pets and some shoppers are allergic to animals.
      • Owners must clean up after their pets!
    • PFM management reserves the right to request that owners remove pets from the market.

 

Currency At Markets

  • What currencies are accepted by vendors at the market?
    • Cash: Cash is accepted and typically the preferred payment method of vendors.
    • Credit/Debit Cards: Many of our vendors take credit or debits cards. Please ask vendors if they take cards before making your purchase.
    • Market Tokens
      • Shoppers can purchase $5 market tokens at the Market Information Booth using a credit/debit card or check.
      • These tokens can be used to purchase all market items.
      • Vendors treat the market tokens like cash and will provide change..
      • Market tokens are non-refundable once purchased and do not expire.
      • A $20 purchase minimum and a $4 convenience fee are assessed for market token purchases.
    • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
      • SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is a federally funded USDA Food and Nutrition Services program. It administers benefits through an Electronic Bank Transfer (EBT) system.
      • All of our markets accept SNAP/Oregon Trail EBT cards.
      • SNAP recipients receive their benefits electronically, and access them with their Oregon Trail Card, which operates on similar technology as credit and debit cards. 
      • To use your card, visit the market information booth, where you will receive $1 red wooden tokens, which may be spent directly at vendor booths.
        • $1 EBT Tokens may only be used to purchase SNAP-eligible foods such as fruits, vegetables, meats, bread, cheese, nuts, eggs, and plants intended for growing food.
        • $1 EBT Tokens may not be used for non-food items, hot prepared foods.
        • Vendors cannot give change back.
    • Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB)
      DUFB is a program that matches SNAP benefits spent at all of our markets.

      • All five of our farmers markets match up to $20 per day at each market.
      • Be sure to spend them before they expire on December 31!
    • Oregon Farm Direct Nutrition Program (FDNP)
      FDNP is a state-administered federal nutrition program. FDNP funds go to low-income, nutritionally at-risk pregnant women and young children enrolled in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program and to eligible seniors.

      • FDNP vouchers are valid from June 1 through November 30, and no change can be given.
      • Market vendors with qualified products (fresh vegetables, fruit, and cut herbs) are required to accept these vouchers at their booths.

 

Community at the Markets

  • Does PFM allow community organizations to set up a table at the market?
    PFM is proud to offer the market as a resource to other community-based nonprofits. Please email contact@portlandfarmersmarket.org to learn more.

Tours, Events & Programs 

  • Does PFM conduct market tours?
    • Our guided market tours are a fun and educational way for small groups to learn about food production and meet local farmers.
    • Please email contact@portlandfarmersmarket.org to learn more about our offerings.
  • May I conduct my own tour of the market?
    • If you would like to host a self-guided tour at one of our markets, please email us at contact@portlandfarmersmarket.org so we can help you plan your tour accordingly.
  • Why does PFM offer additional programs and events?
    • We educate shoppers about regional agriculture and the local food system through our market programs and events.
    • Read more about the programs and events here.

Media

 

Signature Gatherers

  • Is anyone allowed to gather signatures at the farmers markets?
    • PFM sites that operate as a licensee of the City of Portland recognize the injunction entered by the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon in Gathright vs. the City of Portland, which limits PFM’s authority to control the activities of members of the public attending the market.
  • Does PFM allow mobile signature collecting at the markets?
    • PFM does not bar individuals from walking around to collect signatures at our markets. We request they do not interfere with the market’s business, including vendor sales and PFM transactions & interactions.

Gift Certificates & Merchandise

  • Does PFM have gift certificates?
    • Gift certificates can be purchased by emailing eliza@portlandfarmersmarket.org. In your email, please provide your name and phone number for us to call you to complete the transaction.
      • There is a $20 minimum, and larger amounts are available in $5 increments.
      • A $3 processing fee will charged.
      • We will mail the gift certificate to you or your intended recipient.
    • Gift certificates can be redeemed for $5 green market tokens at the Information Booth at our five markets.
    • All market vendors accept these $5 tokens at our five farmers markets.
    • We are unable to issue gift certificates onsite at our markets. In place of a gift certificate, purchase $5 green market tokens at the Information Booth.
  • Does PFM have merchandise?
    • Visit the market information booth to purchase PFM-branded t-shirts, tote bags, cookbooks, beanies, and tea towels.

Waste Reduction at the Markets

What does PFM do to reduce waste at their markets?

PFM is dedicated to reducing the ecological footprint of our five markets and inspiring community change. We encourage waste reduction at our farmers markets in the following ways:

  • Durable Dining Program

    Durable Dining is PFM’s initiative to encourage more reuse and less waste at the markets by having hot food vendors at select markets serve their goods exclusively on reusable dishware.

    Our market operations team worked with vendors to switch from disposable to durable dishware when the City of Portland changed its commercial composting rules to disallow non-food waste.

    Hot food vendors at the Portland State University, Shemanski Park and King Farmers Markets have replaced compostable dishware with durable, reusable bowls, plates, cold cups and flatware.

    How does Durable Dining work?
    After enjoying a meal, shoppers return their used dishware to the vendor or a conveniently located dish return station throughout the markets.
    Customers can also find recycling & waste receptacles and drinking and hand-washing water stations.
    Our market staff sorts dishes throughout the day and returns to vendors weekly for washing, sanitizing and service at the next market.

    Is Durable Dining more environmentally friendly?
    Landfill output at the PSU Farmers Market was reduced significantly, from an average of 25 garbage bags per market to nine.

    The market staff works hard to ensure that the compost stream is clean and free of nonorganic matter.

    While the resources used to clean the dishes have an environmental footprint, the City of Portland’s Sustainability at Work website shows that the cost benefits of durable dishes triumph over disposables after as few as 17 reuses.

  • Water Bottle Fill Stations

    PFM does not allow the sale of disposable water bottles. Shoppers are encouraged to bring their reusable bottles or cups and use our water bottle fill stations at our markets.

  • Reusable Shopping Totes and Produce Bags

    PFM encourages shoppers to bring reusable shopping bags and totes to the farmers market. If you forgot your bags, we have totes and bags available for purchase at the market information booth.

What happens to the leftover food at the end of the market day?

PFM works with local social service agencies to establish the gleaning of food contributions at the end of each market day. These agencies are an excellent resource for distributing your unsold product to the local community in need. 

  • Many of our farm vendors donate to Urban Gleaners. They distribute unsold produce and other food products to the local community through emergency food relief agencies and food-to-school programs. 
    • Gleaners generally arrive at the market during the last hour and check in with vendors to find out if there are any donations for the day. 
    • If you have produce and/or products to donate, call 503-226-8061 to schedule a pickup at the end of a market.
    • Donation receipts are available directly from gleaners on request.

Peddlers

Does PFM allow peddlers at their markets? May I come to the market unannounced and sell my crafts/merchandise?

  • Anyone who is not an approved Portland Farmers Market vendor selling products (i.e., art, food, merchandise) or services cannot set up within the farmers market’s footprint.
  • Set up must be more than 10 feet from the market’s perimeter.
  • To be able to sell anything at the market, one must go through the Portland Farmers Market vendor application process and be approved. Read more about the process here.