Brookside Market Pledge

WE PLEDGE THAT IN OUR FARMING, PRODUCTION, PROCESSING, AND MARKETING OF GOODS SOLD AT THE BROOKSIDE MARKET WE WILL UPHOLD THESE STANDARDS:

All Vendors will:

  • Respect our customers and fellow vendors by being honest and open about our production practices.

  • Welcome visitors to visit our farms/ businesses at least annually.

  • Sell only products that we grew or produced within a 125-mile radius of the market.

  • Conserve and protect natural resources by using practices that prevent or control erosion and pollution of air, soil, and water.

  • Encourage the distribution of unsold but edible food to those who need it.

  • Include considerations of responsible energy use, environmental health, employee, community and customer health, the development and preservation of agricultural and food knowledge and the development of a robust local food system in our business decisions.

Farmers and Ranchers will:

  • Serve the health of the soil, people and nature by using only those fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides or fungicides that are listed as acceptable in the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) List of Accepted and Prohibited Substances or are approved by a USDA licensed organic certifier.

  • Never use genetically modified seed, planting material or feed.

  • Build and maintain healthy soils by using such farming practices such as crop rotation, cover cropping, natural mulches or compost, mineral additions, and minimal tillage.

  • Treat farm animals humanely by providing access to the outdoors, appropriate shelter and living conditions that support the normal behaviors, social interaction and health of each breed.

  • Never use sub-therapeutic antibiotics, synthetic growth promotants or livestock feed that contains animal by-products or chemical additives listed as prohibited in the USDA National Organic Programs List of Accepted and Prohibited Substances.

  • Encourage biodiversity by creating or maintaining a beneficial habitat for wildlife.

  • Maintain the safety and nutritional value of products by using careful post-harvest practices including use of potable water for crop washing and preparation, sanitation of preparation, packaging and storage areas and use of cold or controlled environment storage as appropriate.

Value Added vendors such as prepared/processed foods, body product and crafts will:

  • Support farmers and businesses who use the above practices.

  • Not use GMO ingredients, irradiation, ultra-pasteurization or synthetic preservatives in food products.

  • Include all ingredients on labels or posted at the vendor’s table.

  • Use practices that strive to protect customer and environmental health.