FMC Partners with Wallace Center and SSAWG to Host Farmers Market Manager Short Course

      Posted On: January 13, 2010

On January 20^th and 21st, a diverse line-up of presenters will converge in Chattanooga, Tennessee to lead a farmers market short course in advance of the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group’s (SSAWG) 19th Annual Winter meeting, Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms Conference. FMC is partnering with the Wallace Center for Sustainable Agriculture, SSAWG, and the USDA Risk Management Agency to sponsor this special opportunity for farmers market managers across the southern United States. The agenda features the following sessions:

From the Ground Up: Growing from Solid Market Foundations

With Peter Marks, Local Food Program Director, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (Asheville, NC)  and Bernadine Prince, Co-Director, FreshFarm Markets (Washington, DC)

Running the Show & Keeping the Peace: Operations, Integrity, and Conflict Management

With Bernadine Prince, Co-Director, FreshFarm Markets (Washington, DC); Mike McCreary, Market Manager, Asheville City Market (Ashville, NC); Sarah Blacklin, Market Manager,Chapel Hill-Carrboro Farmers’ Markets (Carrboro, NC); and Erin Kauffman, Market Manager, Durham Farmers Market (Durham, NC)

Measurement, Recordkeeping, and Evaluation or “Data” is not a Four-Letter Word

Darlene Wolnik, Director of marketshare, Marketumbrella.org (New Orleans, LA) and Bernadine Prince, Co-Director, FreshFarm Markets (Washington, DC)

Getting the Right Mix: Producer Recruitment

Cliff Slade, Sycamore Springs Farm & former Virginia Tech Agricultural Extension Agent; (Suffolk, VA) and Mike McCreary, Market Manager, Asheville City Market (Asheville, NC)

Spreading the Word on a Shoestring: How to Leverage Relationships for Outreach & Promotion

Sarah Blacklin, Market Manager, Chapel Hill-Carrboro Farmers’ Markets (Carrboro, NC) and Erin Kauffman, Market Manager, Durham Farmers Market, (Durham, NC)

Reducing Risk: Food safety, Insurance, and Miscellaneous ‘What ifs’

Darlene Wolnik, Director of marketshare, Marketumbrella.org (New Orleans, LA) and Cliff Slade, Sycamore Springs Farm & former Virginia Tech Agricultural Extension Agent (Suffolk, VA)

Expanding Fresh Food Access: SNAP & Nutrition Programs

Cameron Smith, Director of Marketing, TX Direct (Memphis, TN) and Bernadine Prince, Co-Director, FreshFarm Markets (Washington, DC)

Those seeking other state-level and regional learning opportunities can visit FMC’s event calendar.