The purpose of this study is to examine the structure and operation of farmers’ markets in the United States, giving special attention to the legal and regulatory issues that may shape their operation. By looking at the rules and regulations markets use and by considering issues markets experience, it is possible to identify the most important challenges vendors and managers of markets may face. It is also possible to make some common sense suggestions on how markets can best address and resolve issues while maintaining their friendly and relatively informal nature. The goal of this article is to provide a resource that will be valuable for farmers considering a farmers’ market, to vendors now selling at them, to the organizers and managers who run markets, and to those thinking about creating new markets.