Category: Management and Operations

Recruiting Vendors for a Farmers Market

Farm Business and Marketing | Management and Operations | Rules and Vendor Applications

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.

Published November 04, 2013 Publisher Website Download Resource PublicationTopical guides

Weeding the Social Media Garden

Management and Operations | Promotion, Outreach, and Special Events

This July 2012 FMC member webinar was presented by Colleen Newvine of Newvine Growing to demystify the growing number of social media tools available to today’s farmers market manager. From Facebook to YouTube, Twitter to Pinterest, Foursquare, LinkedIn, Flickr and more, Colleen shared how to use social media to promote your market. Topics covered include:

  • How to create a social media strategy as your starting point
  • What kinds of content to post and when
  • How to respond to comments, questions and criticism
  • How you can assess whether it’s working
  • An overview of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and discussion of up and comers Pinterest, Instagram, Foursquare and more
  • How to realistically fit social media into your day

Download the companion handout of resources here, and check out Part 1 of this 2 part series with Colleen, How to Pick Up (and Develop Long-term Relationships with) Reporters.

Published November 04, 2013 Publisher Website Presentation

How to Pick Up (and Have Long-Term Relationships with) Reporters

Management and Operations | Promotion, Outreach, and Special Events

This FMC webinar from June 2012 was presented by Colleen Newvine, Marketing Consultant with Newvine Growing to help market operators understand how to work successfully with reporters, editors and bloggers, and feel more prepared for interviews. The session covers:

  • How reporters work
  • What reporters look for in a story idea
  • What to include in a good press release — and what to leave out
  • How to create a good media section on your website
  • How to prepare for an interview so you feel more confident and emphasize what matters most to you
  • What to do if the story doesn’t turn out how you hoped
  • How to work with reporters in a bad news or crisis situation

Download the companion handout of resources here, and check out Part 2 of this 2 part series with Colleen, Weeding the Social Media Garden.

Published November 04, 2013 Publisher Website Presentationvideo

New Directions in Marketing for Farmers Markets

Management and Operations | Promotion, Outreach, and Special Events

A guide for farmers market managers, covering marketing terms, the four primary marketing strategies, how to develop and implement a marketing plan, how to analyze a marketing plan, and how to work with vendors, customers, and farmers market committees.

Published November 04, 2013 Publisher Website Download Resource PublicationTopical guides

Market Manager’s Checklist: Permits/Licenses/Certificates Required for Farmers Market Sellers

Food Safety and Handling | Insurance, Liability, and Licensing | Management and Operations

This three page checklist was developed specifically for New York farmers markets, listing the specific permits, licenses, or certificates required for all potential items sold at the market based on regulations specific to individual product types. While this checklist is specific to New York, it can act as a guide for any market to research and develop such a checklist based on regulations specific to a given market.

Published November 03, 2013 Publisher Website Download Resource State & Local Policy

From the Field to the Table: Suggested Food Handling Guidelines for Farmers Markets, Fairs and Festivals

Food Safety and Handling | Management and Operations

The thorough suggested guidelines included in this manual were developed to support the manufacture and direct marketing of agricultural products through open-air Farmers Markets and open-air fairs and festivals, as well as protect the consumer.  Log in (which is free) is required to access this resource.

Published November 02, 2013 Publisher Website Download Resource Topical guides

Hand Washing and Food Sampling Requirements, Guidelines, and Procedures

Farm Business and Marketing | Farm Inspection and Enforcement | Food Safety and Handling | Management and Operations

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.

Published November 02, 2013 Publisher Website Download Resource Market Policy

marketshare

Funding and Grants | Management and Operations | Market Start-up and Development | Public Policies | Rules and Vendor Applications | SNAP/EBT and Nutrition Programs

Market Umbrella’s marketshare is a program that works to build and share tools and resources with public markets worldwide, including the best of “lessons learned” from market practitioners.

Published November 02, 2013 Publisher Website Download Resource

Canopy Safety 101

Insurance, Liability, and Licensing | Management and Operations

This tip sheet will help vendors and managers reduce property and injury risks associated with wind, trips and falls, and other canopy mishaps.

Published November 01, 2013 Publisher Website Download Resource Market PolicyTopical guides

Pet Policy Overview (Portland Farmers Market)

Insurance, Liability, and Licensing | Management and Operations

This one pager provides an overview of a policy implemented by the Portland Farmers Market in 2009 to no longer allow pets (other than service dogs) at some of their markets.  BEcause the new policy was controversial among customers, the document was created with legal counsel in order to present rational for the decision.

Published November 01, 2013 Publisher Website Download Resource Market Policy