A Farmers Market Association Fulfilling Your Triple Bottom Line

1. A Farmers Market Association Fulfilling Your Triple Bottom Line Farmers Market Federation of NY – A Case Study

2. Creation of the Farmers Market Federation of NY • Developed a board of directors • Structured a committee system • Sought member input • Developed a strategic plan

3. Developed partnerships to: • Create successful programs • Get our message out • Make our voice heard

4. 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

5. 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

6. Statewide promotions • Banners • Tote bags • Bumper stickers • State Fair • Brochures

7. 2009 New York State Fair with Biz Kid$

8. 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.

9. Media kits help markets promote the program • Encourages markets to develop community partnerships

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. Networking & Communications • Quarterly Newsletter • Website • NYFarmersmarket-L listserve

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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.

17. 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

18. 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

19. Diane Eggert Farmers Market Federation of NY Diane.eggert@verizon.net 315-637-4690