Market Manager Study Offers Snapshot of Market Characteristics

Data collected by USDA over the last ten years clearly demonstrates an increase in the number
of farmers markets nationwide. But are there consequences to having a prevalence of so many young markets? A newly released study from the Agricultural Marketing Service shows that in 2005, more than 30% of farmers markets in the U.S. were younger than five years old.

FMC & USDA Launch “Markets Are Up!”

In anticipation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 10th annual National Farmers Market Week (August 2-8, 2009), the Farmers Market Coalition (FMC), in cooperation with USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), announces Markets Are Up!, an educational and celebratory campaign to help farmers markets and farmers market associations nationwide communicate the vital role that such markets play in improving consumer health, local communities, and economies. As part of the Markets are Up! campaign, promotional tools such as ads, postcards, and templates for press releases and emails are now available on FMC’s website.

FMC & USDA Launch "Markets Are Up!"

In anticipation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 10th annual National Farmers Market Week (August 2-8, 2009), the Farmers Market Coalition (FMC), in cooperation with USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), announces Markets Are Up!, an educational and celebratory campaign to help farmers markets and farmers market associations nationwide communicate the vital role that such markets play in improving consumer health, local communities, and economies. As part of the Markets are Up! campaign, promotional tools such as ads, postcards, and templates for press releases and emails are now available on FMC’s website.

Markets Are Up! Downloads

The following file downloads (without designated space for your logo) are available free of charge for markets to take to their local printer. Files may be opened in Adobe Systems’ InDesign, Photoshop or Illustrator, or QuarkXpress for text addition of a market’s location and hours of operation. The print-ready PDFs may also be resized, if…

USDA Publishes Market Manager Survey Results

The large percentage of young markets explains in part why the growth in the number of farmers markets is not
mirrored by a corresponding growth in sales. Total farmers market sales in 2005 are estimated to have slightly
exceeded $1 billion, compared with $888 million in 2000, an average annual growth rate of 2.5 percent. To

Ag Secretary Vilsack Opens 2009 USDA Farmers Market Season

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today opened the 14th season of the USDA Farmers Market season with a ceremony at USDA Headquarters. The USDA Farmers Market features farmers from Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia selling their locally grown produce and other items. The market is open to the public and will operate every Friday through October, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at USDA Headquarters on 12th St. and Independence Ave. SW, Washington, D.C.

About Farmers Markets

What is a farmers market? A farmers market is a public and recurring assembly of farmers or their representatives selling the food that they produced directly to consumers.  Farmers markets facilitate personal connections and bonds of mutual benefits between farmers, shoppers, and communities. By cutting out middlemen, farmers receive more our food dollars and shoppers receive the freshest…

USDA Announces Specialty Crop Block Grant Fund Availability

PLEASE NOTE: This year, in an effort make sure that federal funds were having the intended effect of promoting specialty crops (fruits, vegetables, herbs, etc.), the Specialty Crop Block Grant program funds can be used “solely” to promote specialty crops, which USDA defines here. FMC fully supports state department of agriculture use of SCBG funds for farmers markets… but please be aware that, moreso than in past years, these federal funds can only be used for programs which promote defined specialty crops, not just farmers markets generally.

PASA Issues Op-Ed on Food Safety

After sending a small delegation to meet with the house staffers drafting the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009, the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) issued an op-ed on food safety which lays out their priorities for protecting food safety while not presenting undue burden on small-scale sustainable farms and those who direct market.

White House Establishes Food Safety Working Group

Food safety is a serious topic. Farmers market supporters who want to ensure that food safety policy does not endanger the livelihoods of small direct-marketing farmers, and that regulatory changes are scale-sensitive and focus on the areas of highest risk (large, wholesaling production and processing operations), are encouraged to:

* Watch the opening of the Food Safety Working Group Listening Session at WhiteHouse.gov/live, kicked off by Secretary Sebelius and Secretary Vilsack, the co-chairs of the Working Group.

* Make comments in the White House’s comment form, or let the Working Group know on twitter (hashtag #WHsafefood) or at the white House’s Facebook page.