Does FSMA apply to small US farms selling on GeraFarm?

The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act applies to most food producers. The Produce Safety Rule (21 CFR Part 112) has a qualified exemption for farms with under $500,000 in three-year average food sales selling mostly to local consumers. Small farms still benefit from the training and traceability features GeraFarm provides.

Can I sell unlabelled homemade jam or bread?

Each US state has its own cottage food law defining which non-hazardous foods can be sold without a commercial kitchen, revenue caps, and allowable sales channels. GeraFarm screens listings against the seller’s state cottage food rules and requires commercial licensing where the state demands it.

How do GeraFarm fees compare with Market Wagon and Barn2Door?

GeraFarm US charges 6–10% commission; no monthly fee. Barn2Door charges a monthly SaaS fee plus payment processing (farmer runs their own storefront). Market Wagon takes 25% or more. Local Harvest is a directory. GeraFarm aims to keep the take rate low so farmers keep margin.

GeraFarm in the US 2026 — Farm-to-Table Direct Sales, FSMA-Aware, Paid in USD

The US direct-to-consumer local food market grew to roughly $12 billion in 2023 (USDA NASS survey data). Farmers markets, CSAs, farm stands, and online marketplaces like Market Wagon, Barn2Door, Local Harvest, and ShopLocal have each built a slice of that supply chain. GeraFarm US focuses on the part most farmers find hardest: the checkout, compliance, and payout layer, while leaving the relationship with the buyer to the farm.

FSMA and the Produce Safety Rule

The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (signed 2011, major rules implemented 2016-2024) is the modern backbone of US food safety regulation. The Produce Safety Rule (21 CFR Part 112) sets standards for growing, harvesting, packing, and holding covered produce. Key points for GeraFarm sellers:

Qualified exemption: farms with less than $500,000 three-year average food sales selling at least half to qualified end users (consumers, restaurants, retailers within 275 miles) get a streamlined compliance path.
FSMA training: at least one supervisor per covered farm must complete a Produce Safety Alliance grower training.
Water quality, worker health, soil amendments, equipment: the rule touches every part of the operation.
Traceability: the 2023 Food Traceability Final Rule adds record-keeping for certain high-risk foods; GeraFarm captures the required data at each transaction.

Cottage food laws — state by state

Every US state has a different cottage food law defining what a home kitchen can sell direct-to-consumer without commercial licensing. Examples:

California: Cottage Food Operations Act; Class A direct sales, Class B indirect; non-hazardous foods only.
Texas: broad cottage food list; $50,000 annual cap; labeling requirements.
New York: Home Processor exemption through Ag & Markets; no revenue cap for qualifying products.
Florida: $250,000 annual revenue cap; HB 663 expanded rules.
Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin: each has its own list and caps.

GeraFarm matches listings to state rules at submission time and blocks products that don't qualify.

USDA organic and non-GMO

GeraFarm integrates with USDA's Organic Integrity Database to verify certified organic status in real time. Farms under $5,000 annual organic revenue are exempt from certification but cannot display the seal — GeraFarm labels listings as “exempt organic” when applicable.

US commissions compared

GeraFarm US: 6–10% commission; no monthly fee; payment processing included
Market Wagon: often 25%+ aggregate, farmer sets retail over cost
Barn2Door: SaaS fee (~$1,500–$3,000/year tiered) plus payment processing; farmer runs storefront
Local Harvest: listing directory; free/cheap but no transactions
Farmstand/Local Line: tiered SaaS + processing
Farmers markets: booth fee $20–$100/week plus time

Hudson Valley, Sonoma, central Iowa

A small dairy farm in the Hudson Valley sells grass-fed yoghurt to buyers in Poughkeepsie, Kingston, and Manhattan weekend trips. A Sonoma orchard lists pears and apples for pickup in San Francisco. A family farm in Ames, Iowa offers a monthly meat-box subscription. All three use GeraFarm for checkout, SNAP/EBT pilots where available, and the same compliance flow.

SNAP/EBT and payment rails

FNS has piloted online SNAP/EBT through a handful of retailers. GeraFarm is working toward FNS authorisation so EBT customers can buy eligible produce online. Today, Stripe, ACH, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and major credit cards are supported; payouts run in USD to any US bank.

Links across the Gera ecosystem

Restaurant buyers who list on GeraEats can source from GeraFarm suppliers directly; home cooks pair farm produce with home-service pros on GeraHome. A Gera Prime subscription boosts GeraCoins earned on every farm order.

Sources

FDA — Food Safety Modernization Act rules (21 CFR Parts 112, 117, 121)
USDA — National Organic Program (NOP) regulations
USDA FNS — SNAP Online Purchasing pilot
State departments of agriculture — cottage food statutes