Farmers' Market Resources

Funding. This is one obstacle many start-up farmers’ markets come up against when it’s time to pay for liability insurance and marketing needs.

The Farmers Market Consortium is put together by the USDA and provides information on farmers market related grant opportunities currently available from federal and state governments and private sector foundations. Funding opportunities are posted as they become available on the USDA Farmers’ Market website.

If you haven’t taken a look at the Farmers’ Market Consortium today’s the day. You might just learn something new to help your market this season.

The National Farmers' Market Summit Proceedings is also now available online from the summit I attended I November 2007.

Also, you may want to check out the Farmers Market Coalition (FMC) website for further resources. The FMC was created in response to requests from a rapidly expanding industry for information, resources and representation at state and federal levels.

The MDA will be revealing a Missouri Farmers’ Market Start-Up Handbook within the next couple weeks. The purpose of the handbook is to provide a reference for those wanting to start a new farmers’ market in Missouri or re-organize a current market in Missouri.

The handbook will include the following information:
Farmers’ Market Facts & Timetable
Establishing and Maintaining a Farmers’ Market
Market Feasibility
Location and Site Considerations
Funding and Budgeting
Managing a Farmers’ Market and Market Manager Job Description
Market Management Records
Developing Market Rules and By-Laws
State Laws and Regulations for Missouri Farmers’ Markets
Get Your Market Heard: Marketing and Advertising
Recruiting Vendors for Market
Missouri Farmers’ Market Association and AgriMissouri
Who to Contact
Articles and Websites of Interest

Be sure and check out the newly revised Missouri Department of Agriculture Farmers’ Market Resource page as well. We will be adding more in the coming months!