Markets Are Up! Offers Tools for FM Week & Beyond

      Posted On: November 3, 2009

During the 10th Annual National Farmers Market Week, farmers markets had some new tools full-page-ad-trioto help them communicate the positive impacts that have in communities nationwide.  Several thousand glossaries, postcards, bookmarks and ‘I love farmers market’ decals were ordered and disseminated around the country. Thousands of hits to the web page included 500 downloads of the free press release template, more than 100 downloads of the glossary PDF, and more than 200 downloads of ads and postcards.  In additional, nearly 375 people accessed the Farmers Market Frequently Asked Questions between July and September.  These are all available year-round at www.farmersmarketcoalition.org/membership.

Another positivie side effect of the promotional campaign was an improvement in the accuracy of existing data on farmers markets. The Agricultural Marketing Service, which maintains the national Farmers Market Directory, was flooded with updates this spring and summer, which is why the official release of the farmers market numbers for 2009 (5,274) wasn’t announced until October. FMC also collaborated with Growing for Market to distribute nearly 10,000 copies of its new Farmers Market issue to FMC members free of charge, to help more farmers.
Because of the perennial nature of the materials, Markets Are Up! is just as relevant today as it was during Farmers Market Week.  The farmers market glossary brochure, for example, contains more than 30 terms shoppers might find associated with products for sale at market, developed in partnership with Marin Farmers Markets and the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture. Other materials include:

– A set of three postcard mailers that reinforce the messages “Market Value,” “Healthy Investment,” and “Green Economy”
– I love farmers markets decals and bookmarks aimed to help markets reach second-tier consumers and give loyal shoppers tools to spread the message
– Farmers Market Talking Points, updated with this fall’s new national tally of markets

    The glossary, stickers, bookmarks, and postcards are available in print (in 250 or 500 quantities), with a 20% discount to FMC members, at www.farmersmarketcoalition.org/shop.

    All Markets Are Up! tools, including the postcard mailers, ads, and glossary are available electronically as print-ready files for free download on the FMC web site, ready to send to a local printer as is or modified with local market hours.  Members also have access to high-resolution print ready files with space specifically reserved for insertion of a local logo.
    Please e-mail news@farmersmarketcoalition.org to share your stories about how you used National Farmers Market Week to spread the positive message about farmers markets.