InTents: The Farmers Market Conference 2021

Learning and Growing

9 am - 9:50 am PT (Noon - 12:50 pm ET)

• Conference Welcome & Announcements

• Chatting with JM Fortier, The Market Gardener

• 5 Ways to Boost Your Booth Sales 

  Being a producer is just the start. Farmers’ market success also means knowing how to maximize sales by making your display compelling, pricing your products correctly and educating your customers. Cultivate your customers and increase your profits.  

  • Speaker: Michael Kilpatrick, Growing Farmers

Marketing Matters

10 am - 10:40 am PT (1:00 pm - 1:40 pm  ET)

• Be an Insta Success Story
  Learn smart ways to make the best use of your time on Instagram. Make your profile sing, use the hashtags that will land with your ideal customer, play with new technology and know when losing followers is actually a good thing.  

  • Speaker: Molly Balint, Farmhouse Creative Marketing

Product Development

10:45 am - 11:35 am PT  (1:45 pm - 2:35 pm  ET)

• Add Value to Your Value Added Products
  Whether you’re a farmer or foodmaker, or a market manager nurturing new or established vendors, learn what it takes to create value added success stories. Determine the need for your product, know what it costs and how to price it, and be sure packaging and labeling is both legal and effective. BONUS: Update on extended deadline for VAPG grants. 

  • Speaker: Ellen Rawley, Ellen Rawley Creative & Strategy  

Exhibitor Demo

Noon - 12:45 pm PT (3 pm - 3:45 pm ET)

• MarketWurks: Farmers market management system

The Farmers Market Coalition Sessions Presented by Nutrition Incentive Hub

Noon - 12:40 PT (3 pm - 3:40 ET) 

• What is the Nutrition Incentive Hub?
  An introduction to the Nutrition Incentive Hub and what it means for farmers and market managers. Explore the role of the Nutrition Incentive Hub and how incentive programs support producers and markets as they build their businesses. 

  • Speakers: Ben Feldman, Farmers Market Coalition; Erica Raml,  Fair Food Network and Lydia Marucco, SproutBC

12:45 pm - 1:15 pm PT (3:45 pm - 4:15 pm ET)

• Building Capacity for Nutrition Incentive Programs
  Dig deep into the capacity it takes to run a nutrition incentive program. Join us to outline the time and people power it takes to run a successful SNAP matching program in your community and discuss creative ideas for building the needed capacity with low resources. 

  • Speakers: Rachael Ward, Farmers Market Coalition; Jenna Fahle, The Ecology Center 

1:20 pm - 1:55 pm PT (4:20 pm - 4:55 pm ET)

• Telling Your Story During National Farmers Market Week 
  National Farmers Market Week is an annual celebration of markets nationwide every August. FMC Staff will walk through how market operators can use FMC resources and data collected to build excitement around that week and gain ongoing support for farmers’ markets, incentive programs and other initiatives.

  • Speakers: Hannah Fuller, Farmers Market Coalition

Finding New Farmers

9 am - 10:30 am PT (Noon - 1:30 pm ET)

• Conference Welcome, Announcements

• No Farms, No Farmers Markets
  As established market farmers retire, it’s essential to find ways to transition property to younger farmers and train new farmers to succeed. Changing Hands is one program working to acquire farmland and grow new farmers.   

  • Speaker: Geoffrey Van, Rogue Farm Corps

• Bringing New Faces of Farming to Market 
  Farmers come in all shapes, colors and orientations. Meet some of the newer faces of farming, gain insights on why they may have been hesitant to participate in traditional farmers’ markets, and discover what we can do to make them feel welcome and valued.   

  • Speakers: Chantel Johnson, Off Grid in Color

Expanding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

10:40 am - 11:35 PT (1:40 pm - 2:35 ET)

• Anti-Racist Toolkit for Farmers’ Markets Update
  With the support of Farmers Market Coalition, Black food systems experts are examining the ways that policies and systems have contributed to making farmers markets predominately White spaces. The Toolkit will provide practical tools and resources for market operators to examine and adjust their internal structures and policies to be more anti-racist. Meet some members of the working group and check in on their progress. 

  • Speakers: Sagdrina Jalal, Facilitator and Consultant; Allinee "Shiny" Flanary, Come Thru Market; Cheryl Whilby, Soul Fire Farm and Schenectady Greenmarket

Exhibitor Demos

10:45 am - 11:15 am PT (1:45 pm - 2:15 pm ET)

• WhatsGood: Online product sales

The Farmers Market Coalition Sessions

12 Noon - 12:45 PT (3 pm - 3:45  ET)

• Gearing Up for the 2023 Farm Bill
  The current farm bill is set to expire in 2023 and it is time to begin planning what comes next. Get a quick recap of what the farm bill is, an update on the current policy landscape, review successes of the 2018 farm bill and engage in brainstorming ideas to achieve a successful 2023 farm bill. 

  • Speakers: Ben Feldman, Farmers Market Coalition; Ugo Ikoro, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 

12:50 pm - 1:50 pm PT (3:50 - 4:50  pm ET)

• Farmers Market Legal Toolkit 
  This powerful and detailed toolkit is designed to aid market managers in planning mitigation strategies and understanding their liability. New content includes a free speech checklist and using ADA rules for making reasonable accommodations for those unable to wear a mask. Join a walk through the toolkit and resources including how to  use the toolkit to approach local legal assistance. 

  • Speakers: Darlene Wolnick, Farmers Market Coalition; Sophia Kruszewski, CAFS at Vermont Law School

Joining the Conversation

9 am - 9:25 am PT (Noon - 12:25 pm ET)

• Conference Welcome & Announcements

• Increasing Farmers Market Visibility 
  How do we make farmers markets a part of every food system conversation?
  Speaker: Catt Fields White, Farmers Market Pros

Stronger Together

9:30 am - 10:25 am PT (12:30 pm - 1:25 pm ET)

• Building Market Networks for Greater Resilience
  Market Cities projects in Pittsburgh, Seattle and Toronto during the pandemic reveal farmers’ market vulnerabilities. Strengthening local market networks can increase resiliency through coordination and collaboration. The Neighborhood Farmers Markets Alliance in Seattle illustrates the success of working together through crisis and beyond. 

  • Speakers: Kurt Wheeler and Kelly Verel, Project for Public Spaces

Balance the Budget 

10:30 am - 11:35 am PT (1:30 pm - 2:35 pm ET)

• Monetize Your Market - Finding New Income Streams
  Last year markets suddenly found the number and types of vendors severely restricted just as staff required to monitor new protocols may have quadrupled. Most markets can’t host sponsors on site, but sponsorship income is more important than ever. Learn to connect sponsors with your audience in new ways and bring sponsors back under the tent. Then share your tips for balancing the budget.

  • Speaker: Melissa Maltais, Fraser North Market Society and Melissa Marie Consulting 

Exploring Options

Noon - 12:45 pm  PT (3 pm - 3:45 pm  ET) 

• Keeping Markets in the Mix
  Foodmakers and farmers are smart to pursue a variety of sales avenues. When their wholesale, CSA or online business takes off, or they open a retail business, will they keep their farmers’ market in the mix? Maya Madsen’s vegan cookie business skyrocketed last year. Which outlets will she prioritize? 

  • Speaker: Maya Madsen, Maya’s Cookies

Rebuilding Better 

12:50 pm - 1:40 pm PT (3:50 pm - 4:40 ET)

• Defining Our Audience as Markets Rebuild
  As farmers’ markets coped with COVID-19 protocols this last year, one surprising result at many markets was that fewer customers sometimes equaled higher sales. As we rebuild, should our goal once again be to bring as many people as possible to the farmers’ market? In retail, another approach is called “narrow and deep”. It’s worth exploring.

  • Speaker: Alli Ball, Allison Ball Consulting 

2021 Gus Schumacher Awards

1:45 pm - 2:00 pm PT (4:45 pm - 5:00 pm ET) 

• 2021 Gus Schumacher Awards
  Named in honor of former Farmers Market Coalition Board member Gus Schumacher, the awards recognize individuals who exemplify Gus’ tireless work to bring fresh, local food to Americans of all income levels and backgrounds. Honorees demonstrate Gus' people-first approach to building coalitions to support farmers market success in their own communities and on a wider stage

Closing Session

2:00 pm - 2:30 pm PT (5:00 pm - 5:30 pm ET) 

• Closing Party
  Grab your favorite snack and beverage and join us for open conversation and a few tunes to wrap up this year’s conference.