RESOURCE LIBRARY
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Category: Market Start-up and Development
Conflict Resolution Guide for Farmers Markets
This Guide was developed after the completion of the 3-year project Reducing Tensions on Market Day: Training Farmers’ Market Organizers and Service Providers on Conflict Resolution and De-escalation Strategies, funded by Northeast SARE.
The three-year Maine/Vermont series was held over a 3-month period during farmers markets “off-season” months winter /early spring). The state leaders for each state invited up to 6 markets, taking variables in account around market operation (small v large; paid manager vs unpaid; member-run vs board-run) to ensure a wide yet synchronistic grouping. Market attendees were required to sign a commitment for two members of each market to attend all meetings (i.e. board, vendor, and/or paid market manager where applicable) and in implementing action steps.
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Report: Developing Farmers Markets at 1890 Land-Grant Universities
In 2021, the Farmers Market Coalition (FMC) entered into a partnership with the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and USDA Farmers Market Team, under a cooperative agreement titled “Increasing Food Access through Farmers Market Implementation and Education with Underserved Community Focus”. This agreement included two separate pilot projects centered on expanding nutrition education and access to local food.
The first pilot focused on developing and operationalizing farmers markets at 1890 land-grant universities. The goal of this pilot was to increase access to fresh, healthy, local foods for students, staff, and the surrounding communities associated with three 1890 universities, while also educating consumers on the benefits of local foods, expanding direct sales opportunities for small producers, and growing connections between the pilot universities and local farmers and growers.
Read a report of the university pilot activities and outcomes and access the toolkit for this project in the document attached.
New Market Resource Bundle
Bundle of resources for new markets created by Market Umbrella under their marketshare site (2004-2014) which was the first free national resource library for market managers
Design for Outdoor Markets in U.S.
Presentation for PA Farm Markets Lunch and Learn series given by Dar Wolnik
Data Collection Comfort Among Farmers Market Operators
Analysis of the level of comfort among farmers market operators for data collection
marketshare: Market Budget Scenario 1
Budget case study for a seasonal market with stall fees and sponsors. marketshare is a program of marketumbrella.org, which works to cultivate the field of public markets for public good. These free documents (called “shares”) are the best of “lessons learned” from public markets everywhere.
EBT Point of Sale Device: Categories Overview
EBT Point of Sale Device Category Overview
This document will help you familiarize yourself with the categories of devices available – wired, wireless, and mobile, and help you start your search for the right device based on your cellular connectivity needs. This list is not exhaustive, nor is it a recommendation – these devices are examples of what we see commonly occurring in the Market and Farm Stand community.
Please refer to our Market Discovery Process to dive deeper into factors that may influence your technology choice. If you are seeking free or low cost EBT equipment, there are a couple of options. First, several states offer Free Wireless EBT Equipment to eligible markets and farmers — refer to our nationwide state-by-state guide for more information on what your state’s program offers. Marketlink also offers free equipment for eligible markets and farmers, and more information can be found here. Remember, choosing the technology that works for your market before looking at cost as a sole decision factor is vital to your market’s EBT program.
If you’d like to share your market’s device or insights, please reach out to Katie@farmersmarketcoalition.org.
EBT Technology: Market Discovery Process
EBT Technology: Your Market’s Discovery Process
Your process in choosing a Third Party Processor (TPP, or sometimes referred to as a “Merchant Service Provider”) and device (whether it’s a tablet or a payment terminal) to process EBT can be tricky and depends on a wide range of factors. At worst, rushing into the wrong agreement may create huge problems down the road. Understanding your model’s specific needs are crucial for this process for choosing the right Third Party Processor and corresponding device.
This document includes a list of questions intended to jumpstart your thinking on specific EBT technology needs at your market or on your farm — it’s best used in conjunction with real feedback from farmers and market operators who use particular devices, or have faced similar challenges. Reach out to technical assistance providers in your area, email katie@farmersmarketcoalition.org, or share questions through FMC’s listserv for specifics.
Report: Toward Market Cities: Lessons on Supporting Public Market Systems from Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Toronto
Public markets systems in North America are both agile and fragile. When the coronavirus pandemic caused widespread stay-at-home orders and business closures, many markets across the continent stayed open, continuing to safely provide fresh and healthy food to residents as supply chains were strained and serve as an economic lifeline to farmers and other producers. This contribution to the resilience of our communities often took place despite limited, uncoordinated support from all levels of government.
It was in this extreme context that the Market Cities Initiative at Project for Public Spaces undertook this research effort to kickstart citywide market strategies in three North American cities—Seattle, Washington, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States, and Toronto, Ontario, Canada. With support from The Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Foundation, Project for Public Spaces provided each city with pro bono technical assistance and a small planning grant to audit each city’s existing market system, identify challenges and opportunities, and convene a broad group of stakeholders to advocate for new policy and governance structures.
This report includes background on the Market Cities Initiative and its research efforts to date, summaries of each local partner’s findings and recommendations, and broad takeaways for other cities looking to strengthen their market systems or leading their own Market City process.
Webinar: Raise Money and Build Community with Engaging Online Fundraising
July 29. 2020
Panelists:
Caroline Fiore, Farm Aid Development Manager
Nora Chovanec, Texas Farmers Market Deputy Director
In this webinar host by the Farmers Market Coalition, Caroline Fiore, Development Manager at Farm Aid, will guide market leaders on a variety of techniques and strategies for online fundraising, including hosting effective and engaging online events. Community members are looking for ways to support local food systems and the essential services of farmers markets. Implementing online fundraising events and campaigns can be a great way to fund additional costs of PPE, market staff, and strengthen the financial sustainability of your market.
Participants will learn how they can engage with donors in their community, increase funding for their markets, and make giving online fun for everyone!
We’ll also be joined by Nora Chovanec of Texas Farmers Market, who will share her experience running a successful online fundraising campaign to cover increasing costs during the pandemic.
Market operators will leave the workshop with an understanding of how to raise funds to support their markets via a variety of online methods–just in time for National Farmers Market Week! The presentation will wrap up with an open discussion and Q&A.
