Sanctioning Rules for Vendors

Vendor Rule 1
> Whole wild imported colonies are not to be sold within any Coral Farmers MarketSM event.
Explanation
> Cultured corals on artifical disks or constructs are considered as farmed coral and do not violate this rule. Fragments or sections of whole wild colonies do not currently violate this rule, but their presence should be registered with the Coral Farmers MarketSM ahead of time. A vendor that violates Rule 1 is violating the spirit and underlying principals of a Coral Farmers MarketSM event. Event organizers should notify the Coral Farmers MarketSM of any reported or observed infractions. The Coral Farmers MarketSM will register the complaint in private to the offending vendor who will be allowed to disprove the charges. If satisfactory innocence is established, the matter will be completely dropped.
Penalty
> Guilty infractions will result in the vendor being assessed a 2 year Coral Farmers MarketSM event probationary ban period. No public notification will be given.

Vendor Rule 2
> No illegal activities of any kind can occur within any Coral Farmers MarketSM event.
Explanation
> The event organizer should immediately report any illegal activity to the police.
Penalty
> Vendors found guilty in a court of law of committing an illegal activity within any Coral Farmers MarketSM event will be permanently banned.

Vendor Rule 3
> Vendors must collect and/or intend to pay any local sales taxes that are applicable.
Explanation
> Organizers will inform vendors of the presence of any state and local sales taxes. Vendors can choose to charge customers this tax amount or in some localities the vendor can offer to pay the tax amount for the customer. The event organizer and the Coral Farmers MarketSM are not legally responsible to verify that these taxes are actually paid. That is the responsibility of the vendor. The event organizer will report to the local business licensing agency any required information.
Penalty
> If the Coral Farmers MarketSM is informed by any tax collecting agency that a particular participating vendor has not paid their required taxes, the Coral Farmers MarketSM will place the vendor on an indefinite probationary ban period until these taxes are paid in full to the tax agency making the complaint.

Vendor Rule 4
> Vendors must conduct fair business practices at all times.
Explanation
> Fair business practices are defined as followed: fair and legal competitive tactics between vendors; accurate monetary exchanges between vendors and attendees; fair valuations of barter exchanges (coral trades); and accurate descriptions of any items offered for sale.
Penalty
> Infractions and reported infractions should be reported by the event organizer to the Coral Farmers MarketSM where they will be recorded. Vendors that build up a history of unfair business practices will be subjected to probationary ban periods from the Coral Farmers MarketSM.

Vendor Rule 5
> Vendors cannot hold the Coral Farmers MarketSM or event organizers responsible for any loss.
Explanation
> The Coral Farmers MarketSM and the event organizers do not guarantee that every vendor will profit from thier participation within a Coral Farmers MarketSM event. We will make every effort to promote the event and ensure that attendee participation is strong. The Coral Farmers MarketSM and the event organizers are also not responsible for any vendor loss due to theft or vandalism committed by persons not employed by the Coral Farmers MarketSM or the event organizer.
Penalty
> Vendors who attempt to hold the Coral Farmers MarketSM or the event organizer responsible for any of these decribed losses will be permanently banned from Coral Farmers MarketSM events.

Sanctioning Rules for Organizers

Organizer Rule 1
> Any violation of vendor or attendee rules must be reported to the Coral Farmers MarketSM.
Explanation
> The entire purpose of having the Coral Farmers MarketSM sanction these events is to establish events that meet certain minimum criteria. Attendees and vendors expect this minimum criteria to be established and maintained. The Coral Farmers MarketSM requires accurate reporting of any rules violations to maintain this established criteria. Event organizers must report any rules violations.
Penalty
> Event organizers who develop a history of failing to report rule violations will lose their Coral Farmers MarketSM sanctioning.

Organizer Rule 2
> Vendors must be informed about the presence of any local sales taxes.
Explanation
> Coral Farmer MarketSM sanctioned events must abide by all laws and tax regulations. Event organizers need to accurately inform vendors what the local sales tax rate are, but organizers are not responsible for verifying that the vendors pay the sales tax. Event organizers will have to report vendor sales to the local business licensing agency if local laws require such reporting.
Penalty
> Event organizers who fail to accurately inform vendors what the local sales tax rates are or event organizers who fail to meet the local business licensing agency requirements, will lose their Coral Farmers MarketSM sanctioning.

Organizer Rule 3
> Event organizer cannot hold the Coral Farmers MarketSM responsible for any loss.
Explanation
> The Coral Farmers MarketSM will make every effort possible to support and advertise each event we sanction. If for some reason any event loses money or fails to meet the expectations of the event organizer, the Coral Farmers MarketSM cannot be held responsable for any loss the event organizer experiences.
Penalty
> Event organizers who attempt to hold the Coral Farmers MarketSM responsible for any loss experienced from an event, will lose their Coral Farmers MarketSM sanctioning.

Organizer Rule 4
> Event organizer must either resell or permit the resale of Coral Farmers MarketSM merchandise.
Explanation
> One of the main sources of income for the Coral Farmers MarketSM is the selling of merchandise containing the Coral Farmers MarketSM logo. We fully expect to sell this merchandise at every Coral Farmers MarketSM sanctioned event. Our first choice is to have the event organizer resell this merchandise. Organizers can expect a 25 % profit margin from sales. If an event organizer refuses to resell our merchandise, the Coral Farmers MarketSM must be given a small booth to directly sell the merchandise through. Event organizers must also allow the placing of at least 2 Coral Farmers MarketSM sanctioning poster boards within the event. These poster boards must be visible to all attendees.
Penalty
> Event organizers who refuse to allow the reselling of Coral Farmers MarketSM merchandise within their event or who refuse to display at least 2 Coral Farmers MarketSM poster boards, will lose their Coral Farmers MarketSM sanctioning.

Organizer Rule 5
> The Coral Farmers MarketSM must approve the event location.
Explanation
> Before being granted Coral Farmers MarketSM sanctioning, the event organizer must inform the Coral Farmers MarketSM the specific location where the event is planned to occur. We have some minimum requirements. Hotel event rooms and convention centers are examples of locations that meet our minimum requirements. Home basements, home backyards and local halls are examples of locations that do not meet our minimum requirements.
Penalty
> Sanction status will not be given to event organizers that hold or plan to hold their events at locations that do not meet our minimum requirements.

Organizer Rule 6
> Event organizers must refuse renting booth space or selling tickets to any vendors or attendees currently banned or on probationary ban periods with the Coral Farmers MarketSM.
Explanation
> A few months before any event occurs, the Coral Farmers MarketSM will provide the event organizer with the current Coral Farmers MarketSM vendor and attendee banned and probationary listing. Event organizers must refuse selling vendor booths and attendee tickets to any people or vendors found on the banned or probationary listing. The reason why they are banned or on probation will not be noted on the listing.
Penalty
> Event organizers who ignore this listing and refuse to ban vendors and attendees who are on this listing, will lose their Coral Farmers MarketSM sanctioning.

Sanctioning Rules for Attendees

Attendee Rule 1
> No illegal activities of any kind can occur within any Coral Farmers MarketSM event.
Explanation
> Any illegal activity will be immediately reported to the police.
Penalty
> Attendees found guilty in a court of law of committing an illegal activity within any Coral Farmers MarketSM event will be permanently banned.

Attendee Rule 2
> Attendees cannot hold the Coral Farmers MarketSM or event organizers responsible for any losses.
Explanation
> The Coral Farmers MarketSM and the event organizers are not responsible for any attendee loss due to theft or vandalism committed by persons not employed by the Coral Farmers MarketSM or the events organizer. We are also not responsible for any refunds from the cancellation of the event if this cancellation was a result of activities by any attendees.
Penalty
> Attendees who attempt to hold the Coral Farmers MarketSM or the event organizer responsible for any of these decribed losses or refunds will be permanantely banned from Coral Farmers MarketSM events.

Attendee Rule 3
> Attendees must conduct fair business practices at all times.
Explanation
> Fair business practices are defined as followed: accurate monetary exchanges between attendees and vendors; fair valuations of barter exchanges (coral trades); and accurate reporting of vendor violations.
Penalty
> Any infractions and reported infractions by attendees should be reported by the event organizer and vendors to the Coral Farmers MarketSM where they will be recorded. Attendees that build up a history of unfair business practices will be subjected to probationary ban periods from the Coral Farmers MarketSM.

Attendee Rule 4
> Attendees must not intefere with the operation of any Coral Farmers MarketSM event.
Explanation
> Coral Farmers MarketSM events are short events that can include specific activities that are scheduled to occur at specific times. No attendee should ever interfere or hamper the operation of the event. If an attendee has a grievance or complaint it should be reported to the event organizers or the Coral Farmers MarketSM. The main emphasis during any Coral Farmers MarketSM event is the smooth operation of the event. Once the event has completed, specific responses to specific complaints can be expected.
Penalty
> Any attendee that attempts to interefere, hamper or affect the operation of the event, while the event is occurring, will be placed on a 2 year probationary ban period.