Certified Farmers' Markets

What is a Certified Farmers’ Market (CFM)? 

A CFM is a place approved for Certified Producers to sell their produce to the public. AWM is one of many departments that approve CFMs. Find out more on CFMs below.   

• CFMs in San Diego Count (by weekday) 
• Open a CFM  
• Accept EBT/SNAP at your CFM 
• CFMs and CSAs that accept nutritional benefits 
  
  • (Arabic | Chinese | Farsi | Korean | Somali | Spanish | Tagalog | Vietnamese)
• Other Resources

What is a Certified Producer? 

A Certified Producer is a farmer certified by AWM to sell at a CFM. This means an inspector has visited their farm and listed the products they can sell at a CFM. Learn more about Certified Producers below.  

• Become a Certified Producer 
• Notice for Certified Producers at Community Events and Markets
• Direct Marketing 101 
  • (Spanish | Tagalog | Farsi | Arabic | Chinese | Vietnamese)

Food Security 

Did you know nearly one in four San Diegans — or about 755,000 people — experience food insecurity? Learn more about what AWM does to promote access to healthy, locally grown food. 

• EBT information
• San Diego Hunger Coalition
• Live well San Diego Food System Initiative

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), commonly called bird flu, is a contagious and often fatal disease found in some populations of wild water fowl that can infect chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, ducks, geese and guinea fowl, as well as a wide variety of other domesticated and wild birds. 

Detections of HPAI continue to be found in both domestic and wild birds nationally, most recently in May 2024 in a live bird market in San Francisco County.

In April 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Health Advisory regarding a confirmed human infection with HPAI, and in May 2024, a second case following exposure to infected dairy cattle was confirmed. The CDC and California Department of Public Health (CDPH) believe the risk of infection to the general public is low. However, individuals with close exposure to infected birds or other animals, such as livestock, have a greater risk of infection. 

Continuing to implement enhanced biosecurity measures is crucial to protect our region’s domestic flocks and producers, including the following practices:

• Wash your hands before and after handling your birds. This includes when handling birds from coop to coop. 
• Prevent contact between domestic and wild birds by bringing your birds into an enclosure that is covered.
• If you have bodies of water on your property such as ponds or ditches, consider draining them to avoid attracting wild birds, and keep your domestic birds  away from this potentially contaminated water. 
• Wash and disinfect boots and equipment when moving between coops. 
• Clean and disinfect equipment and other supplies between uses. 
• Clean and disinfect your shoes and vehicle tires after visiting feedstores and other places frequented by other poultry owners or wild bird hunters. 
• Avoid visiting places where wild birds congregate such as lakes and ponds.  

Please report any unusual or suspicious numbers of sick or dead domestic birds immediately to the CDFA Sick Bird Hotline at (866) 922-2473, as well as the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Monitor your birds for the following symptoms: trouble breathing; clear, runny discharge from nose, mouth, and eyes; lethargy or lack of energy; loss of appetite; drinking less; swollen eyes, head, wattles, or combs; discolored or bruised comb, wattles, or legs; stumbling, falling, or twisted neck; or sudden death. 

For more information, please visit CDFA's Avian Heath Program and Avian Influenza wepage, as well as the following documents for poultry producers:

• Organic certifier exemption request
• CDFA poultry producer letter

HPAI in Dairy Cattle

To date, HPAI has not been detected in dairy cattle in California. However, CDFA has created a dedicated HPAI in Livestock webpage that will continue to evolve as additional resources and information become available. Some of the info includes:

• CDFA Cattle Import Order
• Federal Testing Order
• Requirements and Recommendations for HPAI in Livestock
• Sampling Protocol
• CAHFS Lab Submission form
• Owner Hauler Statement
• Biosecurity Templates and Information
• Milk Safety
• Dairy Worker Safety

Additional resources:

• Avian Influenza One-Pager (Español) | CDPH
• Questions and Answers Regarding Milk Safety During Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Outbreaks | FDA
• Updates on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) | FDA

Stay Informed

For the latest updates in California domestic poultry, follow us on social media and subscribe. You can find us on Facebook at Animal Health Branch – CDFA and on Instagram at AnimalHealthBranch_CDFA. 

For more information and updates on wild bird detections in California, visit the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website.  

More information on avian influenza and how to protect flocks through biosecurity measures can be found on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s website.