Celebrating Resiliency this National Farmers Market Week
Posted On: July 8, 2020
Coming up next month is the 21st annual celebration of National Farmers Market Week, August 2-8, 2020! Despite challenges never experienced before, the national farmers market community has showcased resilience in our rapidly changing world. Farmers markets have always been a hub for innovation, and farmers market operators are at the forefront of adapting rapid solutions and innovation to protect staff, customers, and community in this time of crisis. More than ever before, National Farmers Week is an opportunity to showcase the value of farmers markets in our communities.
National Farmers Market Week celebrates the tireless efforts of our market operators, and shares with our neighbors, partners, legislators, and decision makers that farmers markets are essential. This is the time to rise up together and support our local farmers and farming communities.
Even though this National Farmers Market Week may feel different, the Farmers Market Coalition is still here to provide resources and assistance for farmers market operators around this year’s messaging focus:
- Farmers markets are essential businesses. The COVID19 pandemic made it clear that local food systems with short supply chains are resilient and dependable in making food available to their communities.
- Farmers market managers are local food heroes! When the pandemic hit, everyone had to scramble to accommodate the changing requirements to keep customers safe. Market managers were some of the first to implement innovative strategies to change their operations around public health protocols.
- Farmers markets are safe. Emerging research supports conventional wisdom in that outdoor marketplaces, like farmers markets, are often safer than alternative indoor retailers due to unlimited air circulation, sunlight, the flexibility to enforce social distancing by spreading out vendors and products, and the innovative strategies market operators have implemented.
We will be rolling out our new templates and resources for market operators all throughout this week!
Today, you can download our Op-Ed and Press Release templates to personalize with information relevant to your community. We recommend that you send the final pieces to your local elected officials and news outlets by July 20th to be sure they run in time for NFMW!
Keep an eye out for more resources made available throughout the week, as well as the full 2020 National Farmers Market Week toolkit release.
#FarmersMarketWeek #FarmersMarketsAreEssential #LoveMyMarket
