All markets are invited to use these materials to design their own evaluation system; the market does not need to be a paid subscriber to FMM. However, any use of the online data management or technical assistance for reporting templates will require a subscription to FMM.

Becoming a FMM account holder

If you are not yet a paid subscriber, either as a member of a network or as an individual market organization user, please contact Darlene Wolnik at darlene@farmersmarketcoalition.org to discuss the next open enrollment period.

Once you have paid for a subscription for FMM, here are the next steps:

1. Complete the Metrics Goals Document

Think about the mission of your market, the impact you want to project, and what data you need to do that. A list of all metrics currently available in FMM Metrics is here, and the Metrics Goals Document can be found here.

2. Complete your Data Collection Plan

Once you have completed the Metrics Goals Document, the Data Collection Plan will outline your overall data collection strategy and organize your resources.

(There are three types of data collection methods that FMM uses.These methodologies have been drawn from what researchers and partners  around markets find acceptable in terms of good data collection. Any changes from these data collection methods from what is defined in FMM need to be discussed ahead of time with FMC.

If changes are allowed to be  made, the FMM team will help you with describing your methods in the Methodology Form that will be linked to your data.

The form should be uploaded to your website and be available upon request at the end of your data collection season.)

3. Pay for your FM Metrics subscription through the FMC Store

(We need to address the payment process for subscriptions, and how it links to FM Metrics)

4. Create an account on farmersmarketmetrics.org

Your account will be activated within 24 hours. (If the subscription name is markedly different than the organizational account name, email Marian Weaver at marian@farmersmarketcoalition.org to alert FMC.) Once the organizational account is set up, market profiles for each market that your organization runs need to be created. Every unique location and/or day is considered a separate market and requires its own market profile. For instance, if your market operates in the same location on Saturdays and Wednesdays, you would create two profiles. As all market managers know, a weekday and a weekend market can be very different in terms of products, amenities offered and even in the type of vendor. The profile will offer context to anyone analyzing that data. Provided you have all required information for a market profile, this will not take longer than seven minutes for each market. A list of all required information for a market profile can be found here.

5. Collect your Market Data with FMM

Once profiles are created, data can be entered. Refer to your Metrics Goals document to determine the types of data you will be collecting. Use the downloadable Entry Forms further down this page; these are also available inside of FM Metrics.

Want to Learn More? Become a Metrics Master!

The Farmers Market Metrics (FM Metrics) Metrics Masters course takes a deep dive into the methodology of data collection, aggregation, and analysis.

It explains in detail what kinds of information markets should collect, how to collect that information in ways that are statistically valid, what you can do with the information once collected, and how to communicate it effectively to those interested in your market.

Each of the FMM training units can be studied independently, but it’s best not to skip around. Each unit contains PDFs, templates, and optional resources for additional information. Click the icons below to view each unit.