Markets as Business Incubators: Strategies to Grow Your Vendor Base

Markets are constantly building relationships with partners to bridge to different communities, and they can also use the same skills and outreach strategies to re-engage and to add more vendors to the market itself. As obvious as it is that vendors go to markets to make money, there are strategies that can add value to your market so that vendors stay until they get to their economic comfort level.

This FMC member webinar was led by advocates for farmers and those markets using different “incentives” to build vendor relationships, and moderated by Darlene Wolnik, Independent Trainer and Researcher with Helping Public Markets Grow.

• Young Kim, Executive Director of Fondy Food Center in Milwaukee, WI shares how his organization works to assist immigrant farmers to use the market fully and how they work to find ways to add new skills and resources for those farmers.
• Peter Marks is Program Director of the Local Food and Farm Campaign for Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, or ASAP, where his responsibilities include guiding ASAP’s local food marketing efforts, producing the Local Food Guide, and training farmers in marketing and business planning. Peter staffs the Mountain Tailgate Market Association, a group of 22 farmers’ markets in 8 counties. He worked with a group of farmers to launch the Asheville City Market, run by ASAP since 2008.

Recruiting Vendors for a Farmers Market

The Wallace Center created this 20 page guide to assist farmers market organizers in recruiting producers. While compact, this guide has plenty of useful information about planning, working with farmers, and communicating with community partners.

Food Stamps and Farmers, It’s a Win-Win. Farmers’ Toolkit for Accepting Electronic Food Stamps

This toolkit provides information and resources for farmers and farmers markets to accept EBT benefits. It provides information specific to Maine, but can be very helpful as an overall guide for anyone looking for resources to accept EBT benefits.

Hand Washing and Food Sampling Requirements, Guidelines, and Procedures

A guide for the requirements, guidelines, and procedures for proper hand washing and food sampling at Marin Farmers Markets with pictures of proper set-ups.

Suggested Sampling Guidelines (New Mexico)

Suggested step-by-step guidelines developed by the New Mexico Farmers Marketing Association to support the direct marketing of agricultural products through open-air farmers’ markets in New Mexico, as well as to protect the health and safety of the consumer.

Food Safety at Farmers Markets: Information and Guidelines (Oregon)

A guide to the minimum requirements for food safety as they pertain to farmers markets in Oregon. This resource, although specific to Oregon, can be used as a guide for other states to develop their own, based on the food safety requirements of their state.

The Farmer’s Legal Guide to Producer Marketing Associations

This book from the National Agricultural Law Center at the University of Arkansas looks at some of the issues raised when farmers decide to work together. The book is focused on legal issues, yet it also looks at some of the business fundamentals and marketing issues farmers need to consider as they approach a producer marketing association

Risk, Liability. and Insurance for Direct Marketers

A fact sheet targeted at farmers who market their products directly to consumers, providing guidance on risk management, liability, and developing an insurance program to meet the direct marketer’s needs. Although the document focuses on Wisconsin, it provides an overview of issues that any direct marketer should consider.

Greenbelt Farmers Market Application and Agreement Form

This packet contains a letter, checklist and application form, including a product availability chart and agreement. The Greenbelt Farmers Market is a producer-only market and 501(c)(3) located in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Grower Survey

A sample survey to assess growers’ interest in participating in a new market.