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Category Archives: Newsletter
Protecting the Validity of 'Organic' at Your Market
Liz Comiskey March 5, 2014by Harriet Behar, Organic Specialist, Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service, (MOSES) harriet@mosesorganic.org The use of the word “organic” on a label in the U.S. is regulated by law, which is managed by the National Organic Program (NOP) within the USDA. Farmers who are certified organic or those who sell less than $5,000 a year…
Protecting the Validity of ‘Organic’ at Your Market
Liz Comiskeyby Harriet Behar, Organic Specialist, Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service, (MOSES) harriet@mosesorganic.org The use of the word “organic” on a label in the U.S. is regulated by law, which is managed by the National Organic Program (NOP) within the USDA. Farmers who are certified organic or those who sell less than $5,000 a year…
The Real Deal: FMC Partners on Pilot Project to Explore Definitions of “Local”
Liz Comiskeyby Stacy Miller, FMC Project Director These days, local food is no longer small potatoes. A recent survey conducted by the National Restaurant Association identifies ‘Locally sourced meats and seafood’ and ‘Locally grown produce’ as the top two food trends, respectively, for restaurants in 2014. More and more grocery retailers proudly adhere “local” stickers to…
Tech Corner: New App for Farmers Offers Incentives to Customers
Liz ComiskeyIt is Saturday morning, and Nathan Holmes is driving to the Pittsburgh Public Market when his phone lights up with a text message asking him what he is going to have to sell at market that day. Nathan manages Clarion River Organics, a cooperative consisting of 10 Amish growers in Clarion County, Pennsylvania about 75…
Collaborating for Farmers Market Research in Washington State
Liz Comiskeyby Colleen Donovan, Washington State University Small Farms Program Researching farmers markets can be challenging, especially given their “bottom-up” histories which typically include under-funded organizations, incomplete archives, inconsistent data collection, and multiple definitions for the same terms. In Washington State, market managers, farmers, the Washington State Farmers Market Association (WSFMA), the state department of agriculture,…
FMC Seeks a New Crop of Leaders!
Liz Comiskey February 28, 2014The Farmers Market Coalition Board of Directors is currently soliciting qualified nominations for Board of Director positions during it’s annual election this spring. This is an excellent opportunity to take a leadership role in a growing nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening farmers markets. Directors are FMC member volunteers with demonstrated leadership experience in the field…
SNAP Redemptions at Markets Continue to Increase, and New Federal Support is on the Way
Liz Comiskey February 26, 2014by Maclovia Quintana, FMC Research & Education Intern and Jen O’Brien FMC Executive Director Farmers markets have seen exponential growth over the past decade, and beyond the increase in number, 2013 brought expanded depth and breadth of services offered to market communities. One important indicator of this trend is increased use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance…
Trending at the Market: WIC Cash Value Vouchers
Stacy November 7, 2013by Emily Finn, Research & Education Intern The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) aims to improve access to nutritious foods for low-income pregnant women, mothers, and young children. The number of WIC participants has held steadily around 9 million from 2008-2012. After enrolling in WIC, participants receive monthly checks, vouchers,…
Now's the Time to Act!
Jen O'BrienWe know you love your farmers market and your local farmers—now’s the time to show it! Despite the fact that many farmers markets are winding down for the year, November has turned into an extremely important month for local farms and food. The Senate and House have moved their respective farm bills into conference, with the…
Now’s the Time to Act!
Jen O'BrienWe know you love your farmers market and your local farmers—now’s the time to show it! Despite the fact that many farmers markets are winding down for the year, November has turned into an extremely important month for local farms and food. The Senate and House have moved their respective farm bills into conference, with the…
