Grow Your Farmer's Market

Grow Your Farmer's Market

Summary

Farmers’ markets provide a low-cost practice field for farmers, allowing them to test products that they may later enter into other markets. Farmers’ markets are also an excellent way to reconnect consumers with their food system and develop community support for locally grown foods. This project will expand the awareness of the role farmers’ markets serve in developing marketing skills and promoting sustainable agriculture. Educators will gain knowledge of how to use business planning to build successful farmers’ markets. As a long-term outcome of this project, Kansans will invest in local food systems through their purchase decisions, formulation of public policies and creation of economic development plans.

Objectives/Performance Targets

1. We will train farmers’ market leaders through holding six conferences over three years. Three hundred-fifty individuals will participate in the six conferences.

2. We will create mentoring partnerships between leaders and less-experienced participants to transfer knowledge. Twelve mentoring partnerships will be organized during the project.

3. We will develop and present a business planning curriculum for farmers’ market organizers, board members, managers and community partners. Twenty-five individuals from four farmers’ markets will engage in business planning for their market during the project.

4. Our project will focus on promoting key project activities and on recruiting participation.

Accomplishments/Milestones

1. Two farmers' market conferences were planned for 2004.

2. The mentoring process was planned for 2004.

3. The project piloted a business planning process with one farmers’ market. Over a process of seven meetings with 38 professionals, a business plan was developed for one farmers’ market.

4. Direct mail, news articles, E-mail communications, and phone calls helped promote project activities.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

A business planning process for farmers’ markets was researched and tested with one market. An extensive business plan was written. Customer surveys were conducted to add depth to the business plan.

This project benefits the North Central region by using farmer’s markets as a business incubator for sustainable value-added products. Business planning helps educators guide farmers in developing successful businesses. Mentoring deepens the learning following conferences and business planning.