Seller Compliance: Understanding Your Sales Category

Crop Market facilitates advertisement for the sale of Raw Agricultural Foods, Cottage Foods, live plants & seeds, live farm animals, handmade & handcrafted goods, and farm equipment in all 50 states of the United States of America. For everyone's protection, Crop Market encourages in-person pickup so buyers can inspect products before completing a purchase — Crop Market does not facilitate, support, or bear any responsibility for delivery and sale arrangements made between buyers and sellers.

To keep your business compliant with your state's laws and regulations, please identify which category or categories your products fall into. The information below is a general guide only — not legal or tax advice. Permit, license, certificate, and labeling requirements vary by state, county, and what you sell, and they change over time. Please confirm what applies to you with your state and local agencies before selling. You are responsible for meeting all requirements for your products.

1. Raw Agricultural Foods

Whole raw fruits, whole husked or unhusked nuts, whole fresh vegetables, greens & sprouts, microgreens, fresh herbs, and whole fresh mushrooms (Crop Market categories: Fruits, Veggies, Nuts, Mushrooms, Microgreens, Herbs).
Depending on your state, the following may be required:

• Seller's Permit (sales tax) — though most raw, unprocessed food is tax-exempt

• Business License

• Most states do NOT require a cottage food permit or food handler's card for whole, uncut produce — but rules vary, so check your state.

⚠️ Category-specific notes:

• Mushrooms: Selling cultivated mushrooms? No special permit needed — they're treated as raw produce. Selling wild-foraged mushrooms? Most states require certification or identification by a state-approved expert before you can sell them — check your state first: AFDO Wild Mushroom Laws & Guidance.

• Microgreens vs. sprouts: Microgreens (cut above the soil) are lower-risk. True sprouts (grown in water) are considered high-risk and are excluded from cottage/raw exemptions in several states.

• Nuts: Whole raw nuts are Raw Ag. Once roasted, flavored, seasoned, or otherwise processed, they become a Cottage Food (see below).

• Herbs: Fresh-cut herbs = Raw Ag. Dried/packaged herbs = Cottage Food. A potted/live herb plant = Live Plant (nursery rules apply).

2. Cottage Foods

Approved shelf-stable items (Crop Market categories: Bread, Cookies, Chocolate, Coffee, Dried Fruit, Jams & Jellies, Honey, Syrups & Confections, Teas, Trail Mix, Pasta, Dry Goods).
Depending on your state, the following may be required:

• Seller's Permit

• Business License

• Food Handler's Certificate

• Cottage Food Permit / Registration (some states cap annual sales)

• Food Labeling: must follow strict state requirements, typically including a "Made in a Home Kitchen" statement, ingredient list, allergens, contact info, CFO #, net weight, and production date.

⚠️ Category-specific notes:

• Honey: Many states require separate apiary (beekeeper) registration in addition to cottage food rules.

• Pasta: Dried, shelf-stable pasta only. Fresh pasta is perishable and is not a cottage food.

• Coffee: Roasted, packaged beans qualify as cottage food in most states — confirm coffee is on your state's approved list.

• Teas: Dried herbal blends are allowed, but labels may not make health, medical, or "cure" claims.

• Trail Mix / Dried Fruit: Must be shelf-stable; no fresh or refrigerated components.

• Dry Goods: This is a broad category — limited to shelf-stable items like flours, grains, baking mixes, and dry blends. It may not be used for refrigerated, perishable, or otherwise restricted products.

3. Live Plants, Starts, Seedlings & Seeds

Potted plants, vegetable & flower starts, trees, shrubs, herbs grown for replanting, and seeds (Crop Market category: Plants & Seeds).
Depending on your state, the following may be required:

• Nursery License / Nursery Stock Dealer Registration — most states regulate anyone selling live plants

• Phytosanitary / pest inspection in some states

• Seed Dealer / Seed Labeling Permit — many states have a Seed Law requiring germination rate, lot/test date, origin, and a noxious-weed-free declaration on packaged seed

• Seller's Permit

• Selling live plants and seeds is regulated more heavily than most people expect — check your state Department of Agriculture.

4. Live Farm Animals

Poultry, rabbits, goats, sheep, pigs, cattle, bees, and other live animals (Crop Market category: Farm Animals).
Depending on your state, the following may be required:

• State Department of Agriculture registration and/or premises ID

• Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) / health certificate

• Brand inspection (common for cattle/horses in western states)

• Apiary registration for bees

• Business License / Seller's Permit

• 🥚 Eggs are not permitted on Crop Market. Live-animal sales are heavily regulated — confirm requirements with your state before listing.

5. Apparel, Art & Handmade Goods

Clothing and accessories, original art and décor, stickers, and other handcrafted items (Crop Market categories: Apparel & Accessories, Art & Decor, Stickers).
Depending on your state, the following may be required:

• Seller's Permit (these are taxable goods)

• Business License

• Apparel labeling: federal FTC rules require fiber content, country of origin, and care instructions on most textiles.

• Only sell work you created or have the rights to — no copyrighted or trademarked images.

6. Farm Equipment & General Merchandise

Tools, machinery, and farm gear (Crop Market category: Ag Equipment).
Depending on your state, the following may be required:

• Seller's Permit if you sell as a business / for resale

• Business License

• No food-safety rules apply, but you are responsible for honestly describing condition and safety. Sell only equipment you own and have the right to sell.

Seller's Permit & Business License

Many states require a seller's permit and business license to sell taxable products — it's free in most states. You can get one [here]. (Varies by state.)

Cottage Food Permit & Food Labeling

If you sell homemade/cottage foods, your state may require a Cottage Food Permit and specific labeling. Many states do not require these for whole raw agricultural products (uncut fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc.) — but rules vary, so check your state. Use the menu below for permit & labeling info by state.

Food Handler's Certificate

Some states require a food handler's certificate for certain foods. It is often not required for whole raw agricultural products, but this varies by state — confirm yours. You can get one [here].

Nursery, Seed & Livestock Registration

If you sell live plants, seeds, or animals, your state Department of Agriculture likely has its own registration, inspection, or labeling rules. These are separate from a standard seller's permit. Use the menu below to find your state's agriculture department.

Post Your Listing

When you're ready, fill out the 5-minute form above to list your products on your local county Crop Market.

🚫 For food, plants, seeds & live animals: In-State Sales Only — No Crossing State Lines. Crop Market is a local, in-state marketplace. For food, plants, seeds, and live animals, you may only sell to and arrange pickup with buyers within your own state. Do not sell, ship, deliver, or transport any of these items across state lines. Transporting food, plants, animals, or other regulated goods between states can trigger federal and state laws (USDA, FDA, state agriculture departments) and is strictly prohibited on this platform. (Handmade goods such as apparel, art, stickers, and farm equipment are not subject to this restriction — but you're still responsible for your own state's sales-tax and shipping obligations.) Rules vary by state — you are responsible for following the laws where you live. This is not legal advice.