This manual has been prepared
for people who are thinking about starting a farmers' market in their
community, and for people who are already managing markets. Because
each market is as unique as each community, the manual identifies the
types of questions you need to address at the various stages of market
development. You must find your own solutions, but the text suggests ways
for you to deal with questions and problems as they arise.
Planning the development of a farmers' market has two main parts: imaginative
and systematic. Recognizing the need for flexibility and sensitivity to
your own marketing environment, the manual does not provide you with a
formula which must be adhered to every time in every place. Instead it
is offered as a guide to stimulate your own creative process and
help you consider ways to: meet farmer and consumer needs, anticipate
and mediate conflicts, increase participation, and plan for diversity and
growth.
Public
markets are almost as old as history. Across the world, you will find
flourishing marketplaces which are centuries old and vestiges of former
ways of doing business. In the United States, these markets began to decline
after World War II with the advent of of the supermarket and convenience
shopping. However, some cities still have their old markets, like the
Pikes Place Market in Seattle, Washington, or the Soulard Market in St.
Louis, Missouri.
In the 1970s and 1980s, cities and towns began to reestablish farmers'
markets nationwide. A farmers' market is a place where farmers come together
to sell produce directly to consumers, usually off the back of their trucks.
Many markets include fish, meat, and dairy products, as well as fresh
fruits and vegetables. Some include wholesale trade, allowing produce
brokers to sell, while others are exclusively for local growers. There
are markets which provide space for craftspeople, and some that operate
like a flea market. In the United States, several well-established farmers'
markets are fully or partially enclosed, but most are outside. Thus they
are often called Open Air Markets.
Farmers' Markets, new or old, serve many functions. They are a place for
business and trade while at the same time they foster social gathering
and community activity. Their festive atmosphere provides a relaxing and
even entertaining place to shop and meet with friends. Farmers' Markets
are a direct marketing outlet. By cutting out middlemen, they offer farmers
a more profitable way to sell their crops. They also give farmers and people
in towns and cities a special way to get to know each other and learn about
each others' needs.
Farmers'
Markets provide a pleasant alternative to crowded supermarket shopping.
Many of them are located so that they are more accessible than supermarkets
to low-income communities. They provide urban consumers with high quality
produce which, because of its freshness, is often more nutritious than
produce sold at stores. Finally, farmers' markets can help bring
activity into public spaces, often being used by city planners as
a way to revitalize downtown areas, or to preserve the historic heritage
of old buildings, public squares and parks.
In other
words, farmers' markets are many things to many people. They help family
farmers, preserve agriculture, provide high-quality fresh produce to consumers
in towns and cities, and increase activity in downtown areas. Most important,
they are fun!
If you are
thinking about starting a farmers' market in your community, it helps
to know why. You may take this for granted, but being able to express
it will help you state your goals and form a strategy which will work.
This is especially important if you are a group.
Are you
a farmer who would like to expand your marketing opportunities?
Are you
a community group which feels a farmers' market would bring activity into
your downtown area? Are you an urban consumer who would like more access
to fresh, local produce?
Once
you have thought about why you would like to start a farmers' market,
you can formulate your goals. For example, do you want to provide more
fresh produce to low-income people, or increase farm income by selling
specialty vegetables at retail prices? Do you want to promote local agriculture
or encourage community interaction? You may have several goals, and some
may compete with each other. If they differ greatly it helps to list them
in order of importance.
Once
you have defined your own goals, find out who else is interested in having
a farmers' market in your community, too. Can you find an organization
to sponsor the market? If so, they may provide you with valuable resources
like secretarial support or a Xerox machine. At this stage you only need
a general sense that there is a need for the market. Soon you will have
to answer the following questions in greater detail.
Is there a demand
for a farmers' market?
Who would be interested
in shopping at it?
Are there farmers
in your area who need new outlets for their products?
If so, what types
of things would they like to sell?
Are there people
or organizations in your community who would like to help you start
a farmers' market?
What are your potential
sources of funding?
To answer these and
many other questions which will arise, start planning the market well
in advance of the growing season. Leave yourself several months for research
and organizational development, and several more to secure a site, recruit
farmers and promote your opening.
The
next step is to contact the people who may want to work with you.
Working with a group makes the planning and initial leg work easier and
more effective. Farmers, local businesses, banks, and special community
groups are often impor~ tant components of an organizing committee. Find
people who really want to help.
They will differ from
market to market, and you will have to decide whom to involve and at what
stage in the planning process. The following organizations can be very
helpful:
The Chamber of
Commerce
Churches or Church
Organizations
Conservation Commissions
Community Development
Corporations
Grower Associations
Farm Bureau: state
and county offices
Planning Offices
Garden Clubs, Horticultural
Societies
Neighborhood Centers
Senior Citizen
Organizations
Farmers' Markets
organization in your state or region
Cooperative Extension
Service: county, state, or university offices
State Government:
Department of Agriculture, Division of Markets, Community or Economic
Development Office
If there
are any farmers' markets nearby, visit them or contact their members for
advice and guidance. If not, it may be helpful to find out about farmers'
markets further away and contact their organizers.
Now you
are ready to call a meeting of all the interested people and groups. Publicize
it well; word of mouth is not enough! Give plenty of notice of when and
where the meeting will be held and hold it in an accessible and comfortable
place. Be prepared and have someone take notes. The things you
will need to accomplish in the first meeting are:
Define the group's
goals for the farmers' market
Plan what tasks
need to be done and by when
Delegate tasks
and set up a committee structure to make sure they get done
Set a date for
your next meeting and plan for later ones.
Two of
the most important tasks to delegate at the first meeting are site and
market research. These include identifying a good location, who
your clientele will be, what their tastes are, and when they like to shop.
Once you know about their preferences, you will have to make sure that
you can find farmers with the necessary mix of products to accommodate
demand.
You can find out about the people living in your community by looking at
census data in the library. To find out about produce sales, read trade
association journals, marketing reports, or business census data.
Contact your department of agriculture or county extension office for details
on local sales and availability of produce.
Surveys
The best
way to get accurate, detailed information is to survey. You can survey by
going door to door or store to store, or by using the telephone or mailing
questionnaires. You will get a higher response rate with personal contact,
but it is more time consuming. If you mail surveys, more people will respond.
If you give them a deadline include self-addressed, stamped envelopes
(SASEs) for them to return.
Design
your
questions so that they are unbiased and give you enough information to
determine the feasibility of starting a market. See if you can get help
from Cooperative Extention or another agency if you decide to pursue this
route.
Whether you decide to survey or to research secondary sources, you will
want to find out about peoples' needs, consumers' ability to pay and producers'
to supply, and whether or not you can reach both groups. Find out:
Demand
What is the demand
for local produce in your community?
Is there a farmers' market nearby? If so, how many farmers are
selling there?
How many people
shop there? What sorts of things are available for sale?
How many days a
week is it open? What are the average daily revenues?
Is it profitable
for the farmers? Is it popular with consumers?
If not,has
there ever been a farmers' market in your area?
If so, why is it
no longer operating? Will similar reasons affect a new market?
Are there other
direct marketing outlets for local produce?
What is their volume
of sales?
And
Who will your consumers
be? What are their nationalities/ ethnicities?
What are their
income levels? What are their age groups (families, elderly, students)?
What would they
like to buy at a farmers' market?
When do they like
to shop? What days? What times?
How frequently would
they use a farmers' market?
Competition
How many supermarkets
and grocery stores are nearby?
Have any grocery
stores recently closed in the area? If so, why?
Do any local stores
carry local produce? If so, how close by?
How much volume
do they do? What is their reaction to a proposed farmers' market?
Supply:
Are local farmers
already selling in farmers' markets?
If so,are
they pleased with the experience?
If not,would
they be willing to try a farmers' market?
Are they looking
for more direct marketing outlets?
How much money
do they want to make each day? What crops do they grow?
How far would they
be willing to travel? When are their products available?
Based on this information, begin to consider where to locate. Where will
you accommodate the highest level of demand and be accessible to both consumers
and farmers coming in with trucks? Is your ideal location likely to be
available? Check the zoning bylaws for your community to see if any ordinances
apply to open-air markets.
Once you have completed your market research and found support for your
potential farmers' market, it is time to start making decisions. You must
secure a site, choose days and times to operate, and draw up guidelines
on what to offer for sale. Approach your community service agencies: public
works, health, police, and fire departments. When you talk to them, go
out of your way to be polite. Let them know your plans. Find out their
opinions. Their support will be very useful as time goes on.
Choosing a location is very important. After you have determined the zoning
laws and where it is legal for you to operate, there are several things
to consider about site selection. They are listed here as "Top Priorities"
and "Other Considerations."
Of course, you may have more.
Site Selection
Top
priorities:
Visibility.
Can people see the farmers' market from a distance?
Customer accessibility.
Is the market easy for customers to get to, and to get in and out
of?
Parking. Is
there plenty of parking nearby?
Farmer and truck
accessibility. Is there enough space for trucks to get in and out,
turn around and park, and for farm~rs to set up their displays? Can
the pavement support trucks?
Blend with community
infrastructure. Will local traffic patterns accommodate the
flow of traffic in and out of the farmers' market? Are police and fire
routes clear?
Is the site accessible
to handicapped people? Will the market blend in with the community?
Other
considerations:
Centralized
location. Is there activity or potential for activity around the
market sIte?
Public transportation.
Are there bus or train stops near?
Highway access.
Is it easy for farmers to get to?
Bathrooms and
telephones. Are there public facilities?
Running water.
Is water available to wash and cool produce?
Shade/shelter.
Is there any protection from the weather?
Cost. Is it expensive
to use the space?
Ownership. Who
owns the space?
Often
you can find a location where you do not have to pay rent. For open air
markets, the town common, public squares, parking lots, vacant lots, or
side streets forming good relations with town or city authorities
may help in having such fees waived. If not, paying moderate rates for
a well, located public lot may be worth the exposure it will provide.
What to
Offer for Sale Individual farmers' markets make rules about what is allowed to be
sold based on their philosophies, goals, and the needs of their farmers
and consumers. Strict markets may only allow farmers to sell their own
crops, or only accept produce picked within 24 hours of sale.
Others permit cooperative sales arrangements between farmers. Most farmers'
markets allow the sale of farm, processed goods, such as cider, honey,
or preserves. In some, farmers sell homemade goods from products not grown
on the farm. For example, one vendor in New York City's Greenmarket sells
lentil soup. There are public markets which allow wholesale brokers to
set up stalls, there, by allowing the sale of imported produce, and
there are markets which offer space to local arts and crafts.
All told, it is your decision. Think about it carefully so that you will
serve the farmers, the market and the community as a whole. Make sure
your rules are clear and consistent with your goals. Then follow
them.
When
to Operate The results of your market research should help you decide which days
of the week you want to operate and at what times. If there are few farmers'
markets in your area, Saturdays are usually popular for shopping and community
activities. If farmers are already busy selling on Saturdays, choosing
a day in the middle of the week may be better.
Your market research will also help you decide what time of day to operate.
The location you choose may have an impact on when you plan to open and
close. For example, if you are in a business district, open in the afternoon
so people can stop and shop on their way home from work. If you are
in a residential neighborhood with a large elderly population, open in
the morning. Also keep in mind the needs of the farmers supplying the
market. How far do they have to drive to get there? Will they be
picking produce in the morning or the night before? When is highway traffic
heavy?
Before you decide how many months you want top operate, think about what
products will be offered for sale, when they will be available and for
how long. Find out the length of the growing season in your region. In
New England where the season is short, it is wise to wait until July
to open a new farmers' market. Then there is plenty of produce available
so you will be able to offer an appealing mix of fruits, vegetables, flowers
and any other products you think would fit in. When your market is
well established, open earlier in the season. If you are starting a farmers'
market in a state with a warm climate, there will be greater variety early,
then open in the spring.
In time, you can educate your customers to the seasonal limits of local
production wherever you are. Just be careful not to disappoint them on
opening day!
Bylaws Bylaws spell
out a formal process of how an organization will be run. They state the
purpose of the association, where it is located, when the business operates,
and who the officers and directors are. Bylaws also describe the basis
for decision making, covering issues such as:
Membership
Meetings, elections
and amendments
Dues and liquidation
How fees will be
determined
The role and duties
of officers and directors
Board of Directors Typically, the Board of Directors is composed of a President, Vice
President, Treasurer, Secretary, and several directors. They are the organization's
leadership: setting policy, making rules, governing finances, and hiring
or firing staff. Usually both the President and Treasurer have signatory
power on checks.
An effective Board
of Directots for a farmers' market may be composed of many types of people.
In general, try to elect a diversified group to represent the various
interests involved. Include farmers, local business people, community
officials, sponsors, and consumers. Having people with legal knowledge
and solid business, marketing, or
fund-raising experience can be very useful.
Three important duties
of the Board of Directors are forming a budget, setting fees and
hiring a Market Master. They are covered here briefly.
Budget The Board of Directors governs the financial status of the organization.
It must come up with a budget and a plan for annual business operation.
The budget should include all likely expenses: rent for the site,
insurance, permits, membership in any related organizations,
promotion, security and staff salary. Find your break-even point and
abide by it. Detailed financial planning will increase your chances for
success.
Include monthly
cash flow projections to give you a realistic picture of how much revenue
you will need to cover costs. Plan for the next three years so you can
account for growth.
The Board of Directors
also sets the fees. This is not as simple as it may seem.
Fees should be based
on profitability and reflect the true costs of operating the farmers'
market. As a rule, they tend to be higher in affluent suburbs or city
business districts, and lower in small towns or low-income neighborhoods.
Sometimes markets charge different fees for different~sized farms
or trucks. Some markets charge an annual rate to cover specific costs
like security or promotion, as well as daily selling fees. Ifthere are other farmers' markets in your area, find out what they
charge.
Higher or lower fees
have different effects. If the market association wants to encourage
small part-time farmers and gardeners, it will set lower fees than a group
that wants to attract large commercial farmers. Fees also determine whether
or not a market manager may be hired, how much advertising will be done,
and if the association can afford to pay to improve or even use a site.
Ifyou can
obtain outside funding you may reduce the fees you charge. With or
without sponsorship, do not be shy about setting reasonable fees. You
must cover your costs, and what you invest in the market will have
a direct impact on its profitability. Farmers will benefit more if
they pay $10/ day for a well-managed and well-promoted market where
they can gross $1000, than if they pay $l/day in a poorly run market where
they only gross $100. You may have to convice them, but farmers understand
the bottom line and appreciate good management and promotion. Show them
it is worth it to pay higher fees because the fees will be used
to bring them higher profits.
The Market Master The Board of Directors decides about employing staff. Many
markets appoint a farmer to collect fees and supervise on market
day. However, a volunteer is unlikely to be aggressive about recruiting
more farmers or promoting to consumers. Have your board consider hiring
someone with outreach and organizational skills.
A Market Master usually
is in charge of day-to-day operations and short-term planning.
If you can raise the money, hire someone experienced and professional,
even on a part~time basis. At the least, look for someone who is committed
to the idea of a farmers' market. The Market Master will have many
responsibilities and it will
help ifthey have community contacts, especially with the press.
Finally, look for a Market Master who will be sensitive to the needs of
the growers and to the community the farmers' market serves.
The Board of Directors
will write the job description and decide what role they want the
Market Master to play. Some of the usual duties include:
Redeem food stamps
Obtain permits
and insurance
Recruit farmers
Go to necessary
public meetings and hearings
Promote the market
Attract feature
stories in the local press
Collect fees
Carry out the directives
of the Board of Directors
Additionally, ifcars need to be cleared out of the parking
lot, the Market Master calls the tow truck. If there are disputes
on market day, the Market Master settles the conflict. If there are complaints
about too little variety of produce, high prices, or price
fixing, the Market Master is responsible for answering them. Once you
have written the appropriate job description for your farmers' market,
look for someone who can fulfill it.
Market Masters can make a big difference in assuring the success of a farmers' market. They cannot replace the role of the Board of Directors, though. The two must work together to provide cohesive leadership to the market as a whole.
Now that you
have answered the questions of what, why, where, when and who, you can
ask about how. To begin with, find out about permits, insurance, incorporation
and food stamps. This section will touch on those issues and point you
toward other sources of information which will be more specific to your
town or city.
Permits
The need for permits
will vary from place to place. Check with your Chamber of Commerce, planning
office, and other relevant community services to find out what permits
you need. You may have to attend a public hearing to get a special permit
for outdoor sales. You may also need unofficial permits. Here good community
relations can result in special favors. A supportive fire department may
permit you to block a hydrant for a few hours on market day, or the police
may waive parking regulations.
In most states, farmers
are allowed to sell home grown fruits and vegetables without a license.
Purchasing products for resale often requires a Hawkers license. Processed
foods usually require a special permit from the Health Department. Meat
must be federally inspected and stamped to be sold. If you have questions
about the regulations, contact your local Board of Health.
To use scales, they must be tested and sealed. Contact the Bureau of Standards
to find out who will test the scales, how often inspections are made,
and what the fees are. If a scale is tested in one town, but is also used
in other towns, it must only be tested and sealed once.
Liability Find out whether you are required to have insurance to operate on
the site you have chosen. Even if not, in these days of runaway claims
it is wise to review basic liability policies. Who will be liable if an
umbrella falls off its stand and hits some~ body, or a banner collapses
on a passing car? Will your market be able to pay the damages?
Few suits have been
filed against farmers' markets, but it is increasingly difficult to obtain
insurance coverage. Outdoor, public activities are seen by insurance companies
as being risky. Research the matter to find out who will cover you, what
they will cover, if they have any special requirements, and how much it
will cost. Some companies require you to incorporate to receive coverage.
Incorporation Insurance coverage is not the only reason to incorporate. Incorporating
also relieves the directors of the farmers' market from legal and financial
liability for the market as a whole. Some cities require incorporation
to conduct business publicly.
Before you decide on incorporating, contact your Secretary of State's
office. Have them send you basic information on types of corporate status,
fees, taxes, laws, Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. You may want
to consult a lawyer. If you are worried about the cost of legal fees,
see if you can find a supportive attorney who would be willing to donate
a few hours of time to help you. Because paper work and waiting are involved,
leave plenty of time to file the appropriate papers before your market
opens.
Most farmers' markets are loose associations and may not need to incorporate.
Often a strong marketing committee is a perfectly adequate governing body,
as long as it follows a predetermined decision-making process, and sets
down clear objectives
and rules. If you have doubts, remember it is better to incorporate
before an issue of liability comes up than after! In considering the issue
of incorporation, there are questions to be answered:
What type of association
do you want to form?
Will incorporating
make a difference?
Do you have legal
or insurance reasons for incorporating?
Do you want for
profit, nonprofit or cooperative status?
How much will it
cost to file for each type of status?
If you operate
on a for profit basis, what will your minimum taxes be?
What other costs
are involved?
States levy a minimum tax on for-profit corporations even if no profits
are made. Tax exempt status is cheaper to obtain and register for than
profit status and most nonprofits are eligible to receive tax-deductible
donations. Many farmers' markets operate on a nonprofit basis anyway since
they are set up to serve consumers, farmers, and communities rather than
themselves. Therefore, filing for nonprofit status may be more practical
and economical for you.
Nonprofit organizations are usually set up for religious, educational
or community purposes. However, you do not have to incorporate to obtain
tax-exempt status. Read the materials from your Secretary of State's office
carefully so you know how to file.
If a group of farmers is planning to be the primary legal entity involved
in managing the market, you may want to consider incorporating as an agricultural
cooperative. Farmer cooperatives offer many advantages to growers, but
must be controlled by farmers. Marketing cooperatives can be set up on
a profit or nonprofit basis. They may offer farmers education, services,
storage, processing and of course, marketing of farm products.
For more information about agricultural cooperatives, write to:
United
States Department of Agriculture
Agricultural
Cooperative Service
Washington,
D.C. 20250
Food Stamps Food stamps are used by low-income people to buy food. Without much
effort, you can acquire a retail redemption license to accept food stamps.
Although there is some wait time involved with reimbursement, accepting
food stamps can draw more people into your market, increase sales, and
be useful in promotions. Especially if your market is serving a low,income
population, consider applying for the license.
There are regulations
involved with food stamp transactions. Some of the most important ones
are:
Food stamps may
only be used to buy food or seeds with which to grow food.
They cannot be
used to buy flowers.
Food stamps are
used like cash. Food bought with coupons must be sold at the same price
as if payment were in cash.
The food stamp user cannot exchange stamps for dollars, although change
of less than a dollar may be given in cents.
Food stamp coupons
are held in books. The books must have the same serial numbers that
appear on the coupons.
If you choose to redeem food stamps, find out which local banks
accept them. Decide whether the market will apply for the license, or
whether farmers will be encouraged to do so on an individual basis. If
the farmers' market applies, you will have to demonstrate that you are
a legitimate organization which will uphold the food stamp regulations.
If you have incorporated, this will be very easy to do. If not, emphasize
the purpose of a farmers' market and that it is a viable commercial entity.
To apply for the
retail redemption license, contact your nearest United States Department
of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (USDA, FNS). Ask for a retailer's
application form to authorize your participation in the program. You will
receive an informational brochure with the application. Be sure to read
the pamphlet carefully.
Market Management
There are many aspects of market management which will have to be attended
find volunteers to accomplish them. To keep things simple, let us assume
that you have decided to hire a Market Master.
The primary things
for the Market Master to attend to are: recruiting farmers, promotion
and advertising, and day-to-day operation. Daily operation includes pricing,
space allocation, and if your market is purely a retail market for fresh,
local farm products, that only those are sold. Since disputes are likely
to arise, set up an inde, pendent appeals committee before the market
opens. This committee could be composed of vendors, directors, and the
Market Master.
Recruiting Farmers To have a farmers' market you have to have farmers. If no farmers
are already in your midst, notify them several months before opening day.
Farmers plan their markets when they order seeds. For best results, contact
them then.
Your market research should have helped you identify potential vendors.
Get in touch with them and find out if they will come. If you are having
trouble locating farmers, contact your state or county Cooperative Extension
Service, Farm Bureau, or Department of Agriculture. These agencies usually
have newsletters. Ask them to put in a "call for farmers." Other
grower associations in your state should also be willing to help you identify
appropriate farmers to contact. If you have a farmers' market organization,
work with them
Getting in touch
with agricultural groups and advertising through newsletters are effective
ways to encourage growers to participate in your market. However, the
best way is personal contact with the farmers themselves. Find our names
of likely vendors and call them up. If there are other farmers' markets,
talk to the farmers there. If not, visit local roadside stands or Pick-Your-Own
operations and talk with
them at home. Perhaps they would like to try a new direct market. Word
of mouth is the best publicity; start a chain reaction!
Consumers like markets which offer variety; they like to have plenty to
choose from. Therefore, try to set it up so that you have a core nucleus
of at least three farmers who can supply adequate diversity from the outset,
as well as other farmers with smaller supplies. Try to make sure your
market is competitive from the start. This will prevent territorial problems
in years to come.
Pricing There are two main issues to consider with pricing: making sure it
is adequate for farmers to make a profit, and making sure it is fair.
Fairness is something the Market Master can monitor. Profitability is
more difficult. Even if farmers think they are covering costs, make sure
they evaluate all their expenses and price accordingly.
Some farmers use the four-time multiple rule to arrive at their prices.
Using this formula, 1/4 of the price covers production costs; 1/4 packaging
and transportation; 1/4 selling and advertising, including hiring extra
help on market day, giving away free samples, and waste; and the final
1/4 is profit. Because of the laws of the competitive market, farmers
may not be able to apply this rule to each product they sell. For
exampIe, if there is a glut of sweet corn, the price will naturally fall.
However, farmers should follow this rule in principle, using value, adding
techniques and creative marketing so the formula applies to the load
they bring to market, if not each product sold.
Pricing is often a sticky area and there is no easy solution to it. The
Market Master should make sure the growers are informed of weekly wholesale
market prices and local retail prices. Some state departments of agriculture
publish weekly price reports. With this information, farmers have a fair
sense of what the market will bear. One way to avoid problems over pricing
is to make a rule that all prices must be clearly displayed. The Market
Master should enforce this rule. Customers prefer to know how much things
cost, and farmers will be less suspicious of each other if prices are posted.
Let the appeals committee
review cases as disputes arise. The Market Master will find it easier
to enforce rules if the committee is active.
Space Allocation Another potentially troublesome area is space allocation. Set policies
and rules determining who gets which space when before the market opens.
You may allocate on a first come, first served basis, drawing straws,
or on a seasonal, monthly, or daily fee basis. Whatever rules you make,
adhere to them strictly. If problems still arise, let the appeals committee
handle them.
Quality, Home Grown
Products One more area where disputes can arise is over quality and whether
or not all farmers at the market are selling their own crops. In most
farmers' markets the rule is that farmers may only sell their own and
sometimes their neighbors' products. The issue is most troublesome
if farmers are buying fruits and vegetables from a wholesale market terminal
and presenting them as locally grown.
Why is this a problem? In the first place, shoppers at farmers'
markets like to know where their food is coming from. They trust their
contact with the farmers. Because of the personal interaction, the producer
is more accountable to the consumer. Many people shop at farmers' markets
because the produce is picked so close to the time it is sold. Thus,
it is fresher, tastes better, last longer and may be more nutritious than
produce sold at stores. To preserve the integrity of the market and the
rep- utation of the other growers selling, it is important that all the
farmers follow the rules. Furthermore, since licenses are usually
required to resell purchased products, neglecting to obtain the proper
permits is breaking the law.
How does a Market Master recognize a problem? Usually other farmers will
complain. Certainly a knowledgeable Market Master has an advantage over
someone unfamiliar with production agriculture. Keep a close watch on
when crops are available locally. If a farmer brings in tomatoes three
weeks before they are ripe on the vine, find out if they have been grown
in a greenhouse. If so, you might ask to have that information posted
on a sign. If not, the tomatoes were probably purchased from out of state.
What can you do about it? In the first place, make sure your rules are
very specific about what is allowed. If cooperative arrangements are permissable,
have the growers sign a formal agreement indicating the nature of their
relationship. If a farmer is suspected of breaking the rules, bring
the dispute to the appeals committee. You may want to institute a system
where the farmer is first given a warning. If the problem persists, after
three warnings the farmer is no longer allowed to sell. If reselling is
allowed in your market, have the vendor display a sign indicating that
products have been purchased, from where and from whom. Also, be sure
that any necessary permits have been obtained. Truth in advertising must
be the rule.
Promotion and
Advertising There are many ways to attract people to your market. Some of them
are free; others are expensive. You will have to gauge your budget for
publicity based on parameters of your total budget. Although promotion
is very important, it can be done effectively at a fairly low cost. It
is especially helpful to have access to reduced rate Xeroxing or to have
a volunteer with graphics skills help you out.
Often the best advertising is free advertising. A feature story in your
local newspaper will be far more effective than ads. Television coverage
attracts a lot ofattention. However, you must seek this type of publicity
out. You will only get coverage if there is a news story. Think of creative
ways to interest the press. Yo might want to plan a gala Grand Opening
celebration and invite the mayor. If you invite the media, make sure there
will be plenty of activity when they come. If you are not certain you
will have a large turn out of farmers and shoppers on your first market
day, plan such an event for the second or third market. Finally, you may
to try Public Service Announcements on local television or radio stations.
PSAs free and can reach large audiences.
Since you cannot count on free press coverage, there are other inexpensive
ways to promote your market. For example, if your local newspaper has
a community calendar, put a notice in of opening day. Posters, fliers,
balloons and bumper stickers are also effective.
There are more expensive techniques which you may want to invest in. Bright,
colorful banners call attention to the marketplace. People often notice
a farmers' market for the first time when they see a banner. Many markets
use more than one so they can be displayed at several key visual locations
to draw consumers in. Sandwich boards also work. You may want to use a
combination of both, depending upon budget, access routes to the site,
and where you are allowed to put up banners and. signs. Find out about
zoning ordinances and if you need insurance to hang a banner.
Newspaper ads are frequently used to publicize markets. If you choose
to advertise this way, remember it is most effective when done consistently.
Placing weekly ads may be expensive, so choose a paper with circulation
to your target co sumer groups.
Communications research has shown that the more times people hear or see
a message, the more effective it will be. Find the least cost methods
to reinforce the that your farmers' market is the community place to be!
Well-designed and cheerful posters and banners conjur up the image of
your market in an unforgettable way. Consistent newspaper ads remind people
that the market is happening and when. Feature stories and press coverage
of special newsworthy events reach large audiences. Finally, offering
coupons or two-for-one specials, or sponsoring promotional activ ties
like apple dunking or pumpkin carving contests may also draw new crowds
int your market.
In all of this, what is most important is to think ahead, draw up
a budget, plan a publicity campaign which is varied in approach but consistently
attended to, and foster contacts among the media, community organizations,
local businesses and the whole array of potentially supportive people
who can help you get the word out. And remember, you do not need Madison
Avenue to get your message across!
An attractive
farmers' market is its own promotion. If the displays are well laid
out and colorful, the farmers dressed and clean, and the scene is generally
appeal~ ing, the market plays a role in advertising itself.
So, too, the farmers must sell themselves. Although working in the fields
is not a clean business, a farmer can look like a farmer and still maintain
a neat appearance. Wear shirts and shoes and wash up before going to market.
Attitude is an important part of appearance and has a significant impact
on sales. Enjoy your customers and be cheeful and courteous. Know your
produce. When customers ask you questions about different varieties, or
how a crop was grown, be able to answer them. Pay special attention to
children and the elderly. Try giving away free samples or leftover produce
at the end of the day. Generosity will not cost you much and encourages
people to buy from you
Displays are a very
important part of appealing to customers. Raise them off the ground! Raising
displays will make your produce more visible and protect it from street
dirt and stray dogs. Arrange displays so they are bright and colorful,
maybe using a lively cloth or plants and flowers to catch the eye of a
passing shopper. Only sell clean produce in neat containers which will
not splinter. And finally, only sell high-quality products, remove
any that are damaged, and keep displays full, fresh, and attractive.
You do not need elaborate
equipment to sell at a farmers' market, but some things come in handy.
A display stand will be very useful, even if you are selling off the back
of your truck. A fold~up card table, raised wooden boxes or plywood over
saw horses would all be fine. Provide shelter for your produce to protect
it from both sun and rain. Beach umbrellas or canopies add distinction
to your display, but any moveable structure about seven feet high will
do. Have a neatly lettered sign identify ing you and your farm so people
will remember you. Post your prices and other important information legibly.
Bring along cardboard and waterproof magic markers for making signs.
If you sell produce
by the pound, you will need a certified scale to weigh with. Local inspectors
will come around, so be sure the scale is tested and sealed.
Selling by the count
is often faster than weighing, so a scale is not necessary. If you do not
use one, be prepared to explain your pricing to customers.
Finally, bring a cash box and keep it out of sight. Vendors may want to
wear aprons with pockets for storing change. Start the day with about
$25 in small bills and coins..
As time goes on, your customers will get to know your display. You should
go to the market frequently enough for them to get to know you, too. If
you hire people to sell for you, send the same ones to market each time
and be sure they are inlformed, quality conscious and friendly. Pay your
labor fairly; there are minimum wage laws.
Finally, keep a steady presence at the farmers' market. Always bring something
to sell, from the beginning of the season to the end. If you need to, add
value or find a new way to extend your product's season. Supermarkets never
give up shelf space and neither should you. Remember, it takes time to
develop a market which will work for you. Have confidence in your products,
be inventive and allow several visits to the market to establish your reputation.
The rules for a farmers' market reflect the needs of each market. This
checklist )utlines the basic categories of rules commonly in place at farmers'
markets. As you make your own, think about whether you need to determine
criteria for the following:
Just as it takes time for a farmer to get established in a farmers' market,
it takes time for a market to become known in a community. Be patient.
If you manage your market, advertise well, and your farmers bring in a
varied assortment of quality products, in time you will become a valued
institution in your city or town. Do not forget to use the many resources
available to you and to ask for help when you need it. You will work hard
in the beginning, but it should be enjoyable and you will be well rewarded!
Have fun and Good Luck!
