National Farmers Market Week is going International!
Posted On: July 13, 2022
Read the letter from FMC inviting the World Farmers Markets Coalition to join us for Farmers Market Week.
We’re so thrilled to announce that we are inviting the World Farmers Markets Coalition (WFMC) to join us this year in celebrating National Farmers Market Week, officially starting the first annual International Farmers Market Week!
Now in its 23rd year, we lead the annual celebration of National Farmers Market Week, which is a fixture of the summer season for farmers markets across the United States. We’re really excited that WFMC will join in the celebrations this year and take National Farmers Market Week to an international scale! WFMC is a budding organization that brings together farmers market coalitions, associations and support organizations in nations around the world. We are one of the largest member organizations of the WFMC and, as one of the founding members, have helped shape the organization through its founding. WFMC was recently officially incorporated as a legal entity in Italy, and continues to see rapid growth in activities and membership thanks to support from the Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
During the first week of August every year, farmers markets from Alaska to Florida celebrate everything that makes farmers markets important. As local food systems with short supply chains, they are resilient, dependable and provide an essential service to the communities they feed as well as the farmers and ranchers that rely on them. Not only do farmers markets increase access to fresh and nutritious produce, but they also facilitate personal connections between farmers, shoppers and community members. These important community benefits are not unique to farmers markets in the United States, and the WFMC is thrilled to invite more market organizations from around the world to join in the celebration.
This year’s Farmers Market Week slogan is farmers markets don’t just happen, highlighting the importance of farmers market operators and everything that happens behind the scenes to make vibrant farmers markets thrive in communities across the country. This is well aligned with the mission of the WFMC that seeks to support farmers market management around the globe and promote shared learning about farmers market operations across national lines.
To join in the celebration of International Farmers Market Week, farmers market organizations, organizations that work with food and agriculture, and anyone else interested in joining the festivity can use the hashtag #FarmersMarketWeek on social media and can tag the Farmers Market Coalition (@fmc.org) on all social media channels. To get started, head on over to our toolkit download page to use all of our free social media templates and graphics!
What else can you look forward to this #FarmersMarketWeek? We’ll also be hosting daily conversations with farmers market leaders on our Facebook page at 10am PT / 1pm ET during International Farmers Market Week. The celebration of National Farmers Market Week in the United States and the creation of the toolkit for farmers market organizations is all made possible thanks to the generous support of our sponsors: FarmAid, American Farmland Trust, Farm Credit, Square and Mother Earth News Fair.
And what about in-person? Farmers markets around the world will be celebrating on the ground at their farmers markets and inviting market visitors to celebrate with them. Many markets are ordering our “I Heart Farmers Markets” temporary tattoos to give out at the market. Farmers market customers can get out there and support by shopping at their local market!
This year, we are thrilled that the World Farmers Markets Coalition will be joining us in celebration and elevating the important work of the people who make farmers markets happen. By inviting the WFMC to celebrate and expand National Farmers Market Week to International Farmers Market Week, we believe that this celebration of farmers markets will have a much wider reach and a greater impact in highlighting the value of farmers markets than previous years. Farmers markets have massive local economic, ecological and social benefits in communities around the world that add up to huge collective global impacts!
