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Florida Market Bulletin, Classified Ads
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Florida Market Bulletin printed and mailed to subscribers?
No, the Florida Market Bulletin ceased being published in paper form in June 2008. It is available online only. - Are there fees associated with the Florida Market Bulletin?
No, there are no fees required to view or place ads in the Florida Market Bulletin. - Are previous months' issues of the Florida Market Bulletin ads archived online?
No, only the current month's ads are posted online. Previous months' ads are removed from the website so that advertisers are not contacted after their posting has expired. - What are the deadlines for the Florida Market Bulletin?
The deadline for submitting a classified ad is the 20th of the month prior to the month the ad is to appear. For example, for an ad to run in the June issue, it must be received by 5 p.m. on May 20.
Ads received by the deadline will appear in the Florida Market Bulletin.
The Florida Market Bulletin is posted on the web on the first of each month. Ads received by the 20th of the month will be posted online on the first day of the following month. - What are the general requirements for submitting a classified ad?
Agricultural Machinery
1. Ads for machinery and equipment manufactured specifically for agricultural purposes are eligible for publication. Ads for jeeps, trucks, ATVs or automotive equipment will not be accepted.
2. Agricultural machinery, with the exception of rototillers, must be at least 7.5 horsepower.
3. Push-type lawnmowers are not eligible.
4. Listings for sale must be accompanied by the following owner-signed statement: "This machinery has been used by me in an agricultural endeavor and is not offered for sale by an equipment dealer or commercial enterprise."
Aquaculture
Ads for alligator sales must be accompanied by a signed statement that the seller has a state permit to deal in alligators.
Bees and Equipment
1. State law requires that all beekeepers be registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. To register, contact the Bureau of Apiary Inspection, Division of Plant Industry, PO Box 147100, Gainesville, Florida 32614, telephone (352) 372-3505.
2. Beekeepers offering bees for sale must submit their registration number with their ad. However, beekeeping equipment that does not contain bees can be advertised without a registration number.
Cattle
1. The cattle owner’s name must appear in "Cattle for Sale" listings.
2. Cattle moving within the state to farms or markets or changing ownership no longer require a brucellosis test. However, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services strongly recommends that all new herd additions be tested as a "best management practice" for animal health.
Farm Employment/Services
1. Farm labor is the only employment listing permitted.
2. Anyone seeking farm labor must offer a specific job for employment with pay, i.e., farm manager, ranch hand.
3. Housekeeping, nursing, companionship, and domestic and personal service jobs are not acceptable.
4. Ads offering auctioneer services must include the auctioneer’s name and Florida license number.
Farm Harvest Products
This category includes only the end products of farm harvest (i.e., vegetables, honey, fruit, hay, etc.) grown or produced on the advertiser's farm. For organic products requirements, see below under Organic Farm Harvest Products.
Farmland
1. All listings must offer 10 or more adjoining acres of land which must be zoned for agriculture.
2. Listings must be accompanied by the following owner-signed statement: "This property offered for sale or lease is personally owned by me, is zoned for agriculture, and is not offered for sale or lease by a licensed real estate dealer, broker or salesperson."
Goats
All goats offered for sale or exhibition must be individually identified with official USDA ear tags for the National Scrapie Eradication Program. Breed registry tattoos may be used if accompanied by the breed registration certificate. To obtain official USDA ear tags, the owner must first obtain a flock/herd identification number. To obtain a flock/herd ID number, contact the USDA Veterinary Services Area Office at (352) 313-3060.
Horses, Mules, Ponies
1. Ads for this category must be accompanied by the following owner-signed statement: "This animal has had a negative Coggins test within the past 12 months."
2. The owner must supply the buyer with the original owner’s copy or a laboratory-certified copy of the negative Coggins test for change of ownership.
Miscellaneous
1. Advertisement will be accepted for this category if the item does not fit under any other category and is not otherwise prohibited.
2. Examples of unacceptable ads: Recreation, camping and sporting goods; crafts and craft items; household pets; household appliances; air conditioners; building supplies; commercial fencing material; books and documents; boats; guns; commercial fertilizer; antiques; campers; and other personal items.
Organic Farm Harvest Products
1. This category includes only the end products of farm harvest (i.e., vegetables, honey, fruit, hay, etc.) grown, packaged and stored on the advertiser’s farm, without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides or irradiation.
2. To advertise organic farm harvest products, an organic certification identification number and the name of the certifying agent must be submitted with the ad. For information about organic certification, contact the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Marketing and Development, 435 Mayo Building, Tallahassee, Florida 32399, telephone (850) 617-7330.
Poultry, Fowl, Eggs
1. Listings for domestic birds and birds used for food are acceptable.
2. The selling and purchasing of game birds (quail, pheasants, etc.) require a permit from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Farris Bryant Building, 620 Meridian Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399, telephone (850) 488-6253.
3. Domestic poultry being sold out of state must be enrolled in the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP), and all shipments must be accompanied by a VS 9-3 form, a report of sales of hatching eggs, chicks and poultry. For information about becoming an NPIP participant, call (850) 251-1226 or visit www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/npip.
4. Ads for all migratory birds offered for sale must include a state game farm license number and a federal fish and wildlife permit number. For state license information, contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Farris Bryant Building, 620 South Meridian Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399, telephone (850) 488-3641. For federal permit information, contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 75 Spring Street S.W., Atlanta, GA 30303, telephone (404) 679-7070.
5. It is the seller’s and purchaser’s responsibility to have all required licenses and permits.
6. No ads will be accepted for fighting birds of any type; pet birds, such as canaries and finches; or hawkbill birds, such as parrots and macaws.
Seeds, Plants, Trees
1. This category includes both ornamental and agricultural varieties, and applies to aquatic plants.
2. It is a violation of Florida law to offer plant material for sale which has not been inspected for insects and diseases. For inspection information, contact the Division of Plant Industry, P.O. Box 147100, Gainesville, Florida 32614, telephone (352) 372-3505.
3. Ads for nursery stock (plants, trees, shrubs, vines, bulbs, cuttings, grafts, scions or buds) must be accompanied by a copy of the seller's certificate of registration with the Division of Plant Industry, in accordance with Ch. 581.131, Florida Statutes, effective July 1, 1995. (Exempted from this requirement are aquatic plants, seeds, lawn and pasture grasses, cut flowers, cut fern and cut foliage.)
4. Ads for both plant material and seeds must be accompanied by the following signed statement: "These items are personally grown on my land and have not been purchased for resale."
5. Ads for plants that have been deemed noxious or invasive by the State of Florida will not be accepted.
Sheep, Deer, Llamas
All sheep offered for sale or exhibition must be individually identified with official USDA ear tags for the National Scrapie Eradication Program. Breed registry tattoos may be used if accompanied by the breed registration certificate. To obtain official USDA ear tags, the owner must first obtain a flock/herd identification number. To obtain a flock/herd ID number, contact the USDA Veterinary Services Area Office at (352) 313-3060.
Stock Dogs
1. Advertisement in this category is limited to bred, trained farm stock dogs and the puppies of bred, trained stock dogs; no ads for companion pets or hunting dogs will be accepted.
2. Chapter 828.29, F.S., requires that all dogs sold or offered for sale be at least eight weeks of age and have an Official Certificate of Veterinary Inspection, a.k.a. a health certificate. The certificate must be issued by a Florida-licensed veterinarian no more than 30 days before the sale.
3. The following vaccines and anthelmintics (wormers) must be administered by or under the direction of the licensed veterinarian who signs the certificate: canine distemper, leptospirosis, parainfluenza, hepatitis, canine parvo, and bordetella. A rabies vaccination is required for dogs over three months old.
4. Ads for dogs must be accompanied by the following owner-signed statement: "I certify that these animals have been bred and trained for farm work. Each dog is of legal age for sale and has an Official Certificate of Veterinary Inspection."
Swine
1. All swine (including potbellied pigs) sold or offered for sale or exhibition, except for slaughter, must have evidence of a negative brucellosis test and a negative pseudorabies serologic test which has been conducted within the previous 30 days, unless proof of exemption can be demonstrated.
2. Swine other than feral (wild) swine may move from farm to farm, to markets or change ownership without restrictions. Feral swine may only be moved to locations approved by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Persons transporting feral swine must be registered with the Department and be in possession of a valid identification card while transporting the swine. Feral Swine Trapper Identification cards can be obtained by contacting the Division of Animal Industry, telephone: (850) 410-0900. - What precautions should I take to guard against scams?
If you include your email address in a Market Bulletin ad, it becomes available to anyone anywhere in the world who has access to a computer. Unfortunately, some of these people have bad intentions. Once someone has your email, they might send you unsolicited ads or financial “opportunities.” You might even receive “phishing” emails. These are sent by scam artists -- posing as legitimate businesses -- who try to entice you to provide sensitive personal information, such as back account information, Social Security numbers, passwords, credit card numbers, etc. Never respond to an email or pop-up window that asks for your personal information. If in doubt, call the institution that claims to be the sender of the email or pop-up window and get verification.
Some Market Bulletin advertisers have reported receiving emails or telephone calls from potential buyers who offer to send a cashier’s check to pay for goods. The cashier’s check is for an amount greater than the price of the item, and the sender asks for the seller to return the overage. However, the cashier’s check turns out to be fake. The scammers hope the seller will pay the difference before discovering the cashier’s check is bogus. Some banks don’t immediately recognize that the check is fraudulent. So, to protect yourself from such scams, never accept a check that overpays for any item that you have offered for sale in the Florida Market Bulletin. Be especially wary of individuals who insist on communicating with you by email only. Ask for their name, telephone number and address, and try to verify the information using telephone directories or online resources. If you feel the least bit uncomfortable about a potential transaction, do not proceed with that transaction. Trust your instincts; if something doesn't seem right, it probably isn't.
If you receive an offer for your advertised item via email from someone offering to pay by cashier’s check for more than the purchase price, forward the email to the Federal Trade Commission at . If you have lost money to one of these schemes, call your local Secret Service field office. Local field offices are listed in the Blue Pages of your telephone directory, or visit www.secretservice.gov/field_offices.shtml on the web.
