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Benefits of a Farmers Market Association. “ Working to Grow Your Market !”. Laying the Groundwork. Support Local Farmers Markets Better Informed Managers Training Opportunities Expand Programs & Partnerships Provide ongoing Resources Provide Networking across the state and nation.
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Benefits of a Farmers Market Association “Working to Grow Your Market!”
Laying the Groundwork Support Local Farmers Markets Better Informed Managers Training Opportunities Expand Programs & Partnerships Provide ongoing Resources Provide Networking across the state and nation
Training Opportunities 2009 Illinois Farmers Market Conferences For Market Managers and Vendors- Springfield, Dekalb and Mt Vernon November 17, 2009 - Webinar “Roadside Advertising in a Digital Age”
Training Opportunities, cont. January 6th Workshop –"Grow Your Market: Creating a Memorable Customer Experience” Feb/March 2010 Farmers Market Workshops TBD
Training workshops for 2010 –Comments from 2009 conference attendees Provide more information about vendors Outreach to farmers through market managers Earlier and broader advertising for event More information on regulations
Comments, cont. • Include a focus on smaller markets • Provide meetings earlier in the year • Always put speaker contact and website references in overheads • Would like more time to network, break out into smaller groups.
SIUC Survey of Farmers Market Managers – February/March 2009 • Goal: identify benefits and interest for an Illinois Farmer’s Market Association • Survey dates: Feb. 25 - March 14, 2009 • 226 Emails of Il Farmer’s Market Managers • 91 responses or a 40% response rate • Study was approved by SIUC Human Subjects • 68 questions
Top 10 Benefits for an Illinois Farmer’s Market Association Likert scale 1-5, where 1= not at all important and 5 = extremely important
Preferred Communication for a Farmer’s Market Association Likert scale 1-5, where 1= not at all likely and 5 = extremely likely
2010 USDA Grant Proposal Illinois Farmer’s Market Association Request for proposals January/February Funding to be used to: Support educational workshops Website EBT education and support
Contact Information Sylvia Smith, Ph. D., CHE Southern Illinois University Carbondale MC 4317, Quigley Hall Rm 209B Carbondale, IL 62901 618-536-7567 ssmith8@siu.edu Pat Stieren PStieren Consulting Springfield, IL. 62703 217-522-4274 pstieren@gmail.com