FMPP Report: Promoting Farmers Market Impacts

Over a three-year period, the project Promoting Farmers Markets Impacts: Building Local and State Level Capacity for Data helped increase the capacity of five state farmers market associations to develop data-driven National Farmers Market Week promotion campaigns with the goal of improving attendance at markets in these states and to help create and test a new set of standardized data collection tools and resources to aid markets in building or updating market-level evaluation plans. Through this project, FMC built a new comprehensive resource library and website centered on farmers market evaluation which includes a “quick start” market evaluation tool; step-by-step guides to plan, collect, track, analyze, and share data related to markets; and a bank of survey questions and associated data collection tools. In the future, FMC hopes to use these tools to collect additional market data at the national level which will be accessible to all stakeholders (including market operators, farmers, ranchers, and consumers), enabling the sector to better respond to future challenges and opportunities. Coupled with technical assistance and evaluation training, tool/software comparisons, public data, and enhancements to FMC’s National Farmers Market Week (NFMW) Toolkit, FMC is helping market operators and state associations promote markets to stakeholders and increase shopper and vendor participation.

Read a summary of the 2021 FMPP activities and outcomes in the report attached.

Data Collection Comfort Among Farmers Market Operators

Analysis of the level of comfort among farmers market operators for data collection

Local Food and Local Solutions: Advocating for No-Cost Wireless SNAP Equipment at Farm Direct Outlets

Is the cost of wireless EBT equipment and service a barrier for farmers markets and farms in your state? State SNAP processing contracts could provide a solution.

Join Kate Fitzgerald as she shares expertise on tailoring no-cost EBT equipment options in state SNAP contracts to the needs of farm direct outlets.

This webinar, provided by Farmers Market Coalition, on behalf of the Nutrition Incentive Hub, provides an overview of:

• The role of SNAP processing companies and how states contract with them
• Wireless EBT-processing equipment and service options in various states
• How to communicate effectively with the appropriate people in your state
• How organizations can provide an effective connection between farmers markets and state agencies

Presentations slides

Oregon Farmers Market Association 2020 Census Results

Oregon Farmers Market Association recently released results from its 2020 census of farmers markets in a webinar titled “What Happened at Oregon Farmers Markets in 2020.” This presentation holds interesting stats about sales, attendance, and vendor level trends. It also dives into subjects like how Oregon farmers markets responded to COVID-19, widespread wildfires, and calls for racial justice in their communities during 2020.

Click the image below to watch a recording of the webinar.

Access the full presenter slides here.

2017 VERMONT FARMERS MARKET REPORT

This report summarizes the results of two surveys conducted in early 2018 that collected information on the 2017 summer market season.

Farmers Markets of Minneapolis Collaborative Strategic Plan

The Farmers Markets of Minneapolis Collaborative launched a strategic planning process designed to (1) identify key strategic priorities and related actions that can ensure sustainable, prosperous farmers markets across the city and (b) build a productive, strategic alliance among farmers markets to advance shared interests.

Researching Farmer Characteristics and Strategically Deploying the Data

Webinar Q&A (pdf)

Farmers markets are nothing without farmers. And even within a single market, these producers have diverse backgrounds, defying generalizations. Understanding their characteristics, motivations, and needs is critical in order to continually improve market operations, measure market outcomes, and be accountable to organizational missions. Colleen Donovan, researcher on a comprehensive statewide analysis of farmers markets with Washington State University, leads her presentation on this webinar with an overview of findings from a recent statewide vendor survey, followed by practical advice on how to better understand farmers market producers and use findings in a range of important contexts.

Colleen Donovan, Small Farms Program, Washington State University
Colleen has worked with farmers in Washington State since 2003 and coordinated farmers market research for the Washington State University’s Small Farms Program and Farmers Market Action Team since 2010. She co-authored the “Washington State Farmers Market Management Toolkit” with Karen Kinney in 2012. Colleen serves on the board of the Washington State Farmers Market Association and was named the “2011 Advocate of the Year” by the Tilth Producers of Washington. She has a B.S. from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; MA in Geography from the University of Washington.

Darlene Wolnik is a food system consultant, focused on researching and analyzing entrepreneurial systems such as farmers markets and other direct and indirect sales outlets for regional food producers. Since 2001, she has been working on farmers markets and food systems, first as the Deputy Director at Market Umbrella in New Orleans and then since 2011, as an independent consultant for over three-dozen projects across the country, including an 2013 analysis of Vermont’s farmers market currency programs and an upcoming report on direct market farming in Mississippi.

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 Markets and the Experiences of Market Managers in Washington State: Summary Report

The research, conducted through in-depth surveys of market managers throughout Washington State, documents the current capacity of Washington State farmers markets to generate income for farmers, improve the environment, and provide assets to communities; as well as to assess their long-term sustainability. The report also identifies the organizational and management strategies of successful market organizations, examining the following:

• General farmers market characteristics
• Farmers market vendors and products
• Farmers market sales, customers, and business development
• Organizational structure of farmers markets
• Community and environmental dynamics
• Farmers market personnel

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.