County Launches Online Gardener Certificate Program

Your garden is all planned out, the weather is cooperating, and a green and healthy diet for your family is just a few steps away – then the lettuce gets out of hand, the zucchini gets enormous and what are you going to do with all those tomatoes?

Here’s a thought: Sell or donate your produce to those who need it. That’s the thinking behind the Sonoma County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office’s launch of an online program to allow local gardeners to sell or donate their eligible produce.

“One of the most important factors to both a healthy community and a strong economy is connecting our local farmers and gardeners with consumers,” said David Rabbitt, current chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors.

“This innovative program will bring together those who grow local healthy foods with the community. We will all benefit from the increased access to healthy foods.”

The online self-certification program will support the goals outlined in the Sonoma County Healthy and Sustainable Food Action Plan, and reflects the County’s ongoing commitment to supporting locally grown healthy foods and increasing access for consumers.

The free online program creates a mechanism for school gardens, community gardens and home gardens to legally sell or donate their produce in compliance with Cal Code regulations.

If you're interested in the program, the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office will be hosting two informational meetings. The first is on Tuesday, April 16th, and the next a month later on Monday, May 13th. Both will run from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm at the Agricultural Commissioner’s conference room, located at 133 Aviation Blvd, Suite 110 in Santa Rosa.

Interested gardeners will find a brief introduction to the program on the website, and proceed to the online registration form. After agreeing to follow 16 best management practices related to food safety and completing the required registration information, the gardener receives an Approved Produce Gardener Certificate.

The registration form requires gardeners to list the location of their garden as well as the commodities they produce. Certificates are valid for one year from the date of issue. The website will include a link to “frequently asked questions” (FAQ) that explain the program in more detail.

Once completed, the gardener can save an electronic copy of their certificate and print copies to accompany their produce when sold or donated.

All interested gardeners are encouraged to attend one of the above meetings on April 16 or May 13. Please go to this website to register for one of the informational meetings as space is limited.

The Sonoma County Agricultural Commissioner’s program is run in collaboration with the Sonoma County Department of Health Services and the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE).

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