We honor the food co-ops, grocers, and farmers markets that affirm their Certified Naturally Grown producers that take the extra steps to highlight and verify their practices.
How does a market get listed?
Markets can qualify for the first Tier by having at least one CNG vendor, and explicitly recognizing their certification. Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets receive a higher level of recognition. To qualify, markets officially prefer or require their farmer vendors hold a certification. Markets that qualify for Tier 2 or Tier 3 receive more benefits from Certified Naturally Grown, outlined below.
Benefits of being a GEMs Market
Tier 1: Recognize
- Social media promotion
- Inclusion in the Guide to Exceptional Markets (GEMs)
- Free laminated sign promoting your GEMs listing
- Permission to use Exceptional Market badge for your Tier
Tier 2: Prefer
- All the benefits included in Tier 1
PLUS
- Free banner design
- Free press release
- Free temporary tattoos for market booth
- Priority assistance involving community stakeholders in CNG farm inspections
Tier 3: Require
- All the benefits included in Tiers 1 and 2
PLUS
- Dedicated blog post about your market
- Laminated copy of our latest newsletter to share at market
- Other collaborations we can think up together!
Could my market qualify?
Find out what it takes to qualify for each Tier in our Tier Guide.
Who has done this?
Find all our Exceptional Markets listed below. We feature shining examples on social media and our blog posts. For example, 9 Exceptional Farmers Markets in the US and Food Co-ops and Independent Grocers that Prefer CNG celebrate several leading markets taking steps to ensure customer confidence and high quality vendors.
Please take the steps to join these Exceptional Markets! We would be delighted to add yours to our roster.
Step 1: Click the button below, and #PitchYourMarket. Step 2: Register your interest in an upcoming webinar about GEMs (optional).
Alaska
Co-ops/Grocers
Homer Farmers Market, HomerPanhandle Produce, JuneauSitka Farmers Market, Sitka
Salt and Soil Marketplace, Southeast Alaska
Arkansas
Co-ops/Grocers
Ozark Natural Foods, Fayetteville
Farmers Markets
Beebe Farmers' Market, Beebe
Fayetteville Farmer's Market, Fayetteville
Hillcrest Farmers Market, Little Rock
Siloam Springs Locally Grown, Siloam Springs
Arizona
Co-ops/Grocers
Food Conspiracy Co-op, Tucson
Florida
Co-ops/Grocers
New Leaf Market Co-op, Tallahassee
Georgia
Co-ops/Grocers
Daily Groceries Co-op, Athens
Farmers Market
Athens Farmers Market, Athens
West Broad Farmers Market, Athens
Freedom Farmers Market, Atlanta
Decatur Farmers Market (Wednesday and Saturday), Atlanta
Grant Park Farmers Market, Atlanta
Peachtree Road Farmers Market, Atlanta
Piedmont Park Conservancy, Atlanta
Ponce City Farmers Market, Atlanta
Clarkesville Farmers Market, Clarkesville
The Cumming Harvest, Cumming
Farmers Market at Vickery Village, Cumming
Lilburn Farmers Market, Lilburn
Marietta Square Farmers Market, Marietta
Norcross Community Market, Norcross
Northeast GA Locally Grown, Rabun, Habersham and Hall County
Roswell Farmers and Artisans Market, Roswell
Waygreen Local Fare Market, Waycross
Wednesday Market, Zebulon
Idaho
Co-ops/Grocers
Moscow Food Co-op, Moscow
Iowa
Farmers Markets
LSI Global Greens Farmers' Market, Des Moines
Illinois
Farmers Markets
Glenwood Sunday Market, Chicago
Green City Market: Lincoln Park, Chicago
Green City Market: West Loop, Chicago
Green City Market: Indoor Market, Chicago
Indiana
3 Rivers Natural Grocery, Fort Wayne
Ft. Wayne Farmers Market, Fort Wayne
Louisiana
Crescent City Farmers Market: Saturday Downtown, New Orleans
Crescent City Farmers Market: Thursday Mid-City, New Orleans
Crescent City Farmers Market: Tuesday Uptown, New Orleans
Crescent City Farmers Market: Wednesday Bywaters, New Orleans
Maine
Co-ops/Grocers
Founding Farmers Community Market, Gardiner
Maryland
Co-ops/Grocers
Dawson's Market, Rockville
Takoma Park-Silver Spring Food Co-op, Takoma Park
Farmers Markets
Crossroads Community Food Network, Takoma Park
Michigan
Farmers Markets
Kalamazoo Farmers Market, Kalamazoo
People's Food Coop, Kalamazoo
Minnesota
Co-ops/Grocers
River Market Community Co-op, Stillwater
Farmers Markets
Mill City Farmers Market, Minneapolis
Northeast Farmers Market, Minneapolis
Mississippi
Farmers Markets
Oxford Community Farmers Market, Oxford
Missouri
Farmers Markets
Lake St. Louis Farmers and Artists Market, Lake St. Louis
New York
Co-ops/Grocers
GreenStar Co-op, Ithaca
Abundance Food Co-op, Rochester
Lori's Natural Foods, Rochester
Farmers Markets
Greenmarket: Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn
Greenmarket: Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn
Saratoga Clifton Park Farmers Market, Clifton Park
Hudson Farmers Market, Hudson
Greenmarket: 97th Street Greenmarket, New York City
Greenmarket: Abingdon Square, New York City
Saratoga Farmers Market Saturday, Saratoga
Saratoga Farmers Market Wednesday, Saratoga
Schenectady Greenmarket, Schenectady
North Carolina
Co-ops/Grocers
High Country Food Hub, Boone
King Street Farmers Market, Boone
Weaver Street Market Co-op, Carrboro
Holly Springs Farmers Market, Holly Springs
Ohio
Farmers Markets
2nd Street Market, Dayton
Miami County Locally Grown, Miami County
Oklahoma
Farmers Markets
OSU-OKC Farmers Market, Oklahoma City
Oregon
Farmers Markets
Oregon City Farmers Market, Oregon City
Umpqua Valley Farmers Market, Roseburg
Pennsylvania
Co-ops/Grocers
East End Food Co-op, Pittsburgh
Farmers Markets
Dickinson Square Park Farmers' Market, Philadelphia
Media Farmers' Market, Media
Rittenhouse Farmers' Market, Philadelphia
The Bryn Mawr Farmers' Market, Bryn Mawr
Swarthmore Farmers Market, Swarthmore
South Carolina
Farmers Markets
Hub City Farmers Market, Spartanburg
South Dakota
Co-ops/Grocers
Breadroot Natural Foods Co-op, Rapid City
Tennesse
Co-ops/Grocers
Demeter's Common, Lebanon
Farmers Markets
Cooper-Young Farmers Market, Memphis
Memphis Farmers Market, Memphis
South Memphis Farmers Market, Memphis
East Nashville Farmers Market, Nashville
Johnson County Farmers Market, Mountain City
Richland Park Farmers Market, Nashville
Texas
Farmers Markets
Galveston's Own Farmers Market, Galveston
Virginia
Co-ops/Grocers
Ellwood Thompson's Local Market, Richmond
Fredericksburg Area CSA Project, Fredericksburg
Farmers Markets
Farmers Market at Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church, Richmond
Forest Farmers Market, Forest
Washington
Farmers Market
Capitol Hill Broadway Market (Seattle Neighborhood Farmers Markets), Seattle
U-District Market (Seattle Neighborhood Farmers Markets), Seattle
CANADA
New Brunswick
Farmers markets
Salisbury Farmers and Artisans Market, Salisbury
Ontario
Farmers markets
Peterborough Regional Farmers' Market, Peterborough