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A Farmers Market Association
Fulfilling Your Triple Bottom Line
Farmers Market Federation of NY – A Case Study
Creation of the Farmers Market Federation of NY
• Developed a board of directors
• Structured a committee system
• Sought member input
• Developed a strategic plan
Developed partnerships to:
• Create successful programs
• Get our message out
• Make our voice heard
Who are our partners?
• State Dept of Agriculture• Land Grant University• Cornell Cooperative Extension Educators• State Health Dept• State Agency operating food stamp program• Statewide grower organizations• Consumer groups• National organizations –
– Farmers Market Coalition
How do we benefit our state’s markets and their farmers?
• Program Development
– increase customer traffic at markets– Increase sales for farmers – Promote increased consumption of local foods– Create top of mind awareness of farmers
markets
Statewide promotions
• Banners • Tote bags• Bumper
stickers• State Fair• Brochures
2009 New York State Fair with Biz Kid$
NYS Farmers Market Wireless EBT Program
• Makes open air markets accessible to food stamp customers
• Debit and credit capability creates new wooden economy within the market
• Creates retail excitement
• Adds sales and profits for farmers.
• Media kits help markets promote the program
• Encourages markets to develop community partnerships
Incentive programs benefit everyone
• Creating partnerships in the community
• Creates food access for low income consumers
• Builds traffic for farmers markets
• Increases revenue for market farmers
Services offered by a statewide organization can benefit both markets
and farmers …
• Cost savings programs– Liability insurance programs
• Market development– Working with communities to develop new
farmers markets– Assisting with market infrastructure
development– Creating new marketing opportunities
• Market basket programs; food bank partnerships
Market Manager Training
• Annual conference for market managers– Developing professional standards for market
management– Market manager training manual
• Farmers Market Information Days– Programmatic training; WIC Vegetable and
Fruit Check Program, FMNP, EBT, regulatory
• Market Manager Mentoring Program
Networking & Communications
• Quarterly Newsletter• Website • NYFarmersmarket-L
listserve
Advocacy
• Keeping farmers market issues at the forefront with local, state and federal policymakers
– Strengthen current programs; ie FMNP, FMPP
– Promote state level programs – funding for a farmers market grants program
– Safeguarding agricultural interests - food safety issues, zoning regulations targeting agriculture, labor regs, insurance regs
Advocacy
• Advancing the industry –– Active member of the state Food Policy
Council– Member of the state agricultural marketing
program – Pride of NY– Advisory committees for marketing programs
at land grant university– Advisory committee for legislative agricultural
committees
Continuous Member Input - keeps the organization relevant
• Round table discussions at conferences and workshops
• Visioning sessions
• Member surveys
• Member inclusion in committees
Keep the membership informed and involved.
A statewide Farmers Market Association can …
• Bring markets together to share information and resources
• Provide cost saving benefits
• Provide services to promote markets, increasing customer traffic and farmers sales and profitability
• Advocate on behalf of farmers markets
• Educate and inform
Helping markets fulfill their triple bottom line …
• Serving farmers with marketing opportunities
• Serving consumers with access to fresh, nutritious local foods
• Serving host communities with programs and services that make the market an economic, social, and nutritional benefit to the community
