California certified. The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market is a Certified Farmers Market. California Certified Farmers Markets are locations where only California Certified Producers can sell farm products. All of the farmers who sell at our market are certified as producers by the counties in which they grow. Growers submit to their county a production list complete with crop types, number of acres, location, estimated harvest and harvest season. Based on this information, a Producer’s Certificate is issued and the county’s Agricultural Inspector visits the farm to confirm that the farm is growing what they claim to be.

History of the market. The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market began in September of 1992 as a one-time “Harvest Market,” with farmers and local restaurants gathering on a Sunday morning in the middle of the Embarcadero roadway. Only three years earlier, a two-tiered freeway ran along this roadway, separating the city from its waterfront and the historic Ferry Building. The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake buckled a portion of the freeway, and with its removal came the opportunity to re-envision the waterfront.

Weekday markets. The Tuesday Market, started in 1995, and the Thursday market has been in operation in its current state since 2009. Both are year-round from 10 am to 2 pm. The market is a popular place for people who work in the area to come for lunch and bring home fresh ingredients for dinner. At peak season, the market features over 30 sellers.

The food. Food sold at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market is different from most of the food eaten in America today; it tastes better, and the way it is produced and distributed is better for both humans and the environment.

Variety. Have you ever seen cardoons, pawpaws or purple carrots at the supermarket? Farmers markets help preserve the biodiversity of food plants by offering unique crops, varieties and breeds. Large-scale growers who ship their products for processing or to grocery chains tend to grow only one variety because they select for productivity, uniformity, and durability; farmers who sell directly to consumers can choose their varieties based on what all eaters want: flavor.

Sustainability. A sustainable food system uses practices that are socially just, environmentally sound, economically competitive, humane, and resource-conserving. Sustainable agriculture uses those same practices. Each farmer has different practices, but the farms at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market tend to farm more sustainably than the average American farm. They generally use fewer pesticides, take better care of the soil, and cause less runoff and pollution. One benefit of farmers markets is that shoppers can ask growers directly about their methods. See our sustainability page to learn more.

The market community. The market is a place where urban and rural communities connect and people meet to shop, socialize and celebrate their love of good food. Direct marketing encourages interaction between shoppers, farmers, vendors, visitors and chefs. Farmers get feedback directly from their customers and sometimes even grow items at the specific request of a home cook or professional chef; they also benefit by taking home more of each dollar that is spent at the market. Urban shoppers see the faces of the people who grow the food they eat, and ask questions about how the food is grown.

Helpful services. On both market days, CUESA sets up an information booth. At the booth, there are recipes to take home, profiles of the farms that sell at the market, maps of the day's market layout, and other useful information. The information booth offers parking validation for certain lots and, on Saturdays, a service called the Veggie Valet which allows customers to drop off heavy groceries while they shop. Federal Food Stamps can also be redeemed at the information booth through the Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) program.