InTents: The Farmers Market Conference – FMC Preview
By: Hannah Fuller Posted On: March 3, 2021
As the weather starts to warm up and we head into spring, many farmers markets operators are wrapping up a season of learning through virtual conferences, meetings, and training. One of our favorite gatherings of farmers market operators and vendors is the InTents: The Farmers Market Conference, hosted by Farmers Market Pros.
The conference season is not yet over, and this year, FMC is excited to be offering two full afternoons of sessions in partnership with InTents. Our topics cover the wide range of our work, and offer opportunities for market operators to become better acquainted with nutrition incentives, National Farmers Market Week, policy and advocacy, and legal resources through the Farmers Market Legal Toolkit. These sessions are part of your ticket when you register for InTents, and we hope you’ll plan on attending to learn more about our work, and so we can connect with all of you. You can find more information about each session below. We’re thrilled to be able to take part in the training on technical topics to improve market operations, as well as the opportunities to build informal networks through socializing and sharing experiences with others in the field.
InTents: The Farmers Market Conference will be held online March 15-18th, find the full schedule online to make sure you don’t miss a thing!
FMC Sessions:
What is the Nutrition Incentive Hub? Presented by Ben Feldman, Erica Raml, and Lydia Marucco
Introduction to the Nutrition Incentive Hub and what it means for farmers and market managers. This session will focus on the role of the Nutrition Incentive Hub and how incentive programs support producers build their business.
Building Capacity for Nutrition Incentive Programs: Presented by Rachael Ward and Representatives from Ecology Center & MIFMA
A space for market operators to dig deep into the capacity it takes to run a nutrition incentive program. We’ll walk through an activity designed to outline the time and people power it takes to run a successful SNAP matching program in your community and then discuss creative ideas for building the capacity needed with low resources.
Telling Your Story During NFMW: Presented by Hannah Fuller
National Farmers Market Week is an annual celebration of markets nationwide every August. FMC Staff will walk through how market operators can use FMC resources and data collected to build excitement and gain support for SNAP incentive programs and other initiatives at their market and among direct marketing farmers.
Gearing up for the 2023 Farm Bill: Presented by Ben Feldman and Ugo Ikora
The current farm bill is set to expire in 2023 and it is time to begin planning what comes next. This workshop will provide participants with a quick recap of what the farm bill is, an update on the current policy landscape, review successes of the 2018 farm bill and engage them in brainstorming ideas for a successful 2023 farm bill.
Farmers Market Legal Toolkit: Presented by Darlene Wolnik
Overview of this powerful and detailed toolkit designed for market managers to plan their mitigation strategies and understand their liability. New content includes a free speech checklist and using ADA rules for making reasonable accommodations for those unable to wear a mask. FMC staff will walk through the toolkit and resources including in using the toolkit to approach local legal assistance.
