National Farmers Market Training Discussion

Bernadine Prince, President FMC, Co-founder and Co-Director of FRESHFARM Markets, DC

Dru Montri, Director, Michigan Farmers Market Association

Darlene Wolnik, Independent Researcher and Trainer for Public Markets

Farmers Market Report for King County, Washington

Requested by the King County Council, this report identifies many of the challenges impacting farmers markets’ financial viability and future success and identifies some of the solutions that would help strengthen their operations and facilitate farmer access to the markets.

Advertising Impacts Reveal Buying Habits of Farmers’ Market Shoppers

This report details an innovative two year study conducted by the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association (PCFMA), that revealed important details on customer buying habits and responses to advertising by farmers’ markets. In addition to exploring the impact of advertising and marketing strategies, the study revealed attitudes and buying habits of shoppers, allowed for a demographic comparison of shoppers to community residents, and facilitated an estimate of the economic impact of farmers’ markets on surrounding businesses.

Planning and Developing a Farmers Market: Marketing, Organizational and Regulatory Issues to Consider (Agribusiness Marketing Report)

This fact sheet outlines a number of planning issues, including the development of market rules and management approaches that should be considered during the establishment (or redevelopment) phase of a market.

Market Day: Weather

Market Umbrella discusses how to prepare, what to watch out for, and who to alert in regards to bad weather at the farmers market.

Local Harvest Farmers Market/Farm Directory

A website where farmers markets can add their listing to and consumers can search for farmers markets as well as farms, CSA, Coops, and other direct marketing channels in their area.

Selecting A Farmers Market: A Decision-Making Form for Producers

This one page assessment form can be used by producers when evaluating and comparing different farmers markets as outlets for their products.

Sample By-Laws, Policies, and Vendor Applications

A collection of sample documents from British Columbia Association of Farmers Markets (BCAFM) member markets; helpful examples of farmers market policies, regulations, vendor handbooks and vendor applications forms.

Vendor Evaluation Form

A sample form used by the Farmers’ Market Federation of New York to evaluate their vendors on market day in terms of topics such as image, display, product, pricing, and customer service.

Lexington Farmers Market 2010 Vendor Survey

The Lexington Farmers’ Market takes a survey of its members every year at the annual meeting. The survey contains general questions and some that pertain to specific events or circumstances encountered that season. The final question asks vendors to estimate their sales for that year. Those numbers are averaged and multiplied by the total number of vendors to come up with a market-wide figure.