Privacy

What this policy covers

This policy describes Valley Food Finder’s directory, request forms and administrative workspace.

You can search and browse without a consumer account. We do not operate advertising, payments or producer self-service accounts in this version.

Browsing and searches

The server receives the page or search you request so it can respond. Search terms can appear in your browser history and in operational request URLs. Avoid entering personal or sensitive information into search.

Our internal analytics retain only a recognized canonical food identifier, a recognized community identifier, a result count, an event category and a timestamp. Unrecognized queries are counted as an unrecognized category; their wording is not retained in internal analytics. Broad browsing is counted separately. No precise user location is requested.

Internal activity counts

We count rendered searches, searches returning no results, producer profile views, website/contact, phone, directions and sales-location clicks, plus request starts and successful submissions. Producer actions can include public producer, product and sales-location identifiers and a recognized town. Request activity contains the request type, not the form’s contents.

These are events, not unique people, customers or sales. Refreshes, repeat visits and automated activity can affect counts. We use them to understand food demand, missing coverage and referrals. Analytics are available only to authorized administrators.

Our internal analytics records do not contain IP addresses, raw user-agent strings, raw search phrases, fingerprints, cross-site identifiers, user/session identifiers or precise GPS. A short-lived signed search receipt verifies the result count; it does not identify you and is not stored with the event.

Website visits and page views

We use Vercel Web Analytics to measure visits and page views on this site, separately from our internal activity counts. It may process page URLs, referrers, filtered query parameters, approximate location, and browser, device and operating-system information.

Vercel describes this measurement as cookie-free and uses a hash derived from the incoming request to distinguish visitors, with visitor sessions discarded after 24 hours. We do not use this measurement for advertising or cross-site behavioral tracking, and we do not send custom events to Vercel Web Analytics.

Listing requests and correspondence

A submitted form stores the producer/business name, request type, your optional name, email address, message, optional evidence link and suggested products. Ownership and removal requests also record your authority acknowledgement and the review decision. We use these details to investigate, seek clarification when authorized and maintain an accurate directory.

Form submissions do not change a listing automatically. Requester email, messages and private decision notes are not published in the directory. Verified facts may be incorporated into original public listing summaries. Do not submit sensitive personal information or private residential addresses.

Email you choose to send to contact@valleyfoodfinder.com is also used to handle your inquiry. Your email provider and the receiving mailbox provider process that correspondence under their own arrangements.

Private research and administrative access

Private curation may include source references, research notes, authority checks, publication decisions and an audit history of meaningful edits. Access is restricted to authorized administration. Unpublished research and private notes are not public directory content.

Cookies, storage and browser choices

Our internal activity counts do not use cookies, local storage or session storage. An essential, HttpOnly session cookie is used only for administrative sign-in and expires after eight hours. We do not load advertising pixels.

We do not track browsing across third-party sites in this version. Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control signals do not change our internal activity counts; this version has no sale or sharing for cross-context behavioral advertising to opt out of. We will reassess choices and disclosures before changing those practices.

Infrastructure and third parties

Operational infrastructure processes ordinary network and request information needed to provide the service, such as network addresses, requested URLs, browser headers and errors. Those fields are not copied into our internal activity records.

Service-provider categories may include website hosting, database and authentication services, email services, security and error monitoring, and other operational infrastructure. When engaged, these providers may process information needed to operate, secure and maintain the service.

We do not sell personal information or share it for cross-context behavioral advertising in this version. Service providers may process information necessary to operate the service when engaged. Information may also be disclosed when legally required or reasonably necessary to investigate abuse or protect lawful rights. Third-party links open services with their own privacy practices; we do not embed their tracking tools.

Retention

Our internal activity counts have a 90-day retention target. This is a target rather than a guarantee that every copy is deleted at that point. Administrative reports cover only retained events.

Requests are retained while under review. Our intended retention target is to remove requester contact details and unnecessary message content within 12 months after resolution, unless a documented legal or accuracy need requires longer retention. This target is not a guarantee of automatic deletion. Private evidence and essential audit history may be retained to explain listing decisions, with periodic review for unnecessary personal data.

Security

We separate public data from private administration, restrict access, validate submissions and retain audit records for curated changes. No system provides perfect security.

Privacy inquiries and California considerations

Contact contact@valleyfoodfinder.com to ask about your information or request access, correction or deletion. Identify the relevant request or listing using the minimum necessary details. We may reasonably verify authority before disclosing or changing information. Legal obligations or a documented recordkeeping need may limit deletion.

California privacy rights depend on the applicable law and the operator’s circumstances. Contact us about a privacy concern or request. We review requests under the requirements that apply to the service.

Children

The service is intended for a general adult audience and is not directed to children under 13. Children under 13 should not submit personal information. If you believe we received a child’s personal information, contact contact@valleyfoodfinder.com so we can investigate and address it as required.

Policy changes and contact

We will post material changes on this page with a revised effective date and provide additional notice when required. Privacy and legal inquiries go to contact@valleyfoodfinder.com.