New FAQs Provide a Reference Point for Market Managers and Organizers

      Posted On: October 13, 2010

During National Farmers Market Week, FMC launched a new Frequently Asked Questions tool on its website, integrated with the Farmers Market Resource Library.  During the month of August, there were nearly 1,500 visits to the FAQ page during August, and visitors spent an average of more than four minutes on the page, nearly twice as long as the average visit to other parts of the FMC web site.  The FAQs represent the combined efforts of the Farmers Market Coalition and the Wallace Center at Winrock International, supported by the USDA Risk Management Agency.

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FMC’s new FAQ videos feature interviews with market staff at Green City Markets, the Neighborhood City Farmers Market Alliance, FRESHFARM Markets, Crescent City Farmers Market, and NYC Greenmarket.

Coinciding with the launch of the Market Manager FAQs was the launch of a YouTube channel, FMCorg, which now houses 20 video interviews with veteran market managers. The most watched videos in the month of August were Producer-only, Before Starting a Market, Market Policies, Marketing the Market, Using a Token System, and Funding.

Visitors to the new FAQ page will find the 50 question broken into seven categories.  Getting started with the Market Fundamentals category, prospective market operators can find answers to some of the basic first questions such as “What makes a good market location?” and “What kind of governance structure do we need?” The Market Policies category walks markets through the basics of  establishing policies in line with their mission and tackle tough questions like “How many vendors should we allow at the market, and how should we select them?” Along the way, visitors are directed to resources from the Resource Library, and videos of some market managers around the country talking about how they select vendors, establish and enforce policies, keep good volunteers, evaluate and communicate their impacts, and participate in federal nutrition programs.

As you browse the FAQs, Resource Library, and YouTube Channel, please share your favorites with your friends and colleagues, and send us your suggestions for future improvements.  Though the FAQ is just another free service FMC provides to the farmers market community, our ability to maintain and update it depends on your support.  If you’re not a member, and you value these tools, please consider joining today.