Compliance Monitoring
Use of Co-packers
Schenectady Greenmarket is committed to creating a diverse marketplace with the highest quality products produced locally by our vendors. It is against the policy of Schenectady Greenmarket for any member to purchase items and resell them at the market. Only items which are produced by a member, or his/her household or employee, on land owned or rented by that member may be sold.
In an effort to ensure that all products for sale at the market fall under our producer-only rule and that vendors are abiding by the Rules and Regulations set-up by Schenectady Greenmarket, we are compiling Compliance Monitoring Documents for each category of vendor. These documents will help all vendors as they determine their product mix.
Customers are increasingly concerned about where their food comes from and how it is produced.
Schenectady Greenmarket’s priority is to ensure products available at the market that have had the
involvement of a co-packing facility is the result of produce grown by the vendor themselves. A co-packer is defined as a company that manufactures and packages food or other products for their clients. To market and distribute, a co-packer works under contract with the hiring company to manufacture food as though the products were manufactured directly by the hiring company.
Allowed products under the fruit and vegetable category
- Frozen fruits and vegetables – sold only by the producer of the fruit and/or vegetables
- Cider and fruit juice – sold only by the producer of the fruit
- Sauces (tomato, apple, etc.) – sold only by the producer of the fruit and/or vegetables
Frozen fruits and vegetables
The sale of frozen fruits and vegetables is permitted by the market however the product frozen must be solely grown and produced by the vendor. A co-packer may be used in the flash freezing of fruits and vegetables. An invoice or agreement must be provided if a co-packer is used for the freezing of product.
Cider and fruit juice
Schenectady Greenmarket allows for the sale of cider and juice at the market. Sale of cider and juice may only be sold by the producer of the fruit. A co-packer may be used in the bottling of cider and juice however the product must be made up entirely of produce grown by the vendor. An invoice or agreement must be provided if a co-packer is used in the bottling of product.
Sauces, petsos, etc. (tomato, apple, etc.)
Schenectady Greenmarket allows for the sale of sauces, pestos, etc. at the market. Sale of such items that have been produced with the help of a co-packer must be made with the entirety of the main ingredients (produce or fruit) grown by the vendor. Flavoring ingredients such as spices may come from another source. Documentation must be provided that shows the vendor is the source of the produce and also the quantity provided as relates to what has been co-packed.
Products not allowed at the market
Schenectady Greenmarket does not allow for the sale of value-added goods not grown by the vendor and
produced solely by a co-packer and packaged with a vendor’s label. This includes items such as soups and sauces bottled/packaged by a co-packer that follows the recipe of a vendor. In such cases, the products will be considered a re-sale good and not eligible for the market.
Value-added vendors must be the sole producers of their products as per the market’s Rules and Regulations document.
Additional Documents Needed
Co-packer invoices and/or agreements for each item contracted
Crop-plan that coordinates with the produce used in co-packed goods
Co-packer invoices and/or production documents that verify the co-packed goods consist of produce
grown by vendor in relation to the product being co-packed.
Weekly inventory/sales sheets for the prior 12 months