Farmers Market Coalition and USDA Launch ‘Markets Are Up!’ Campaign in Preparation

In anticipation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 10th annual National Farmers Market Week (August 2-8, 2009), the Farmers Market Coalition (FMC), in cooperation with USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), announces Markets Are Up!, an educational and celebratory campaign to help farmers markets and farmers market associations nationwide communicate the vital role that such markets play in improving consumer health, local communities, and economies. As part of the Markets are Up! campaign, promotional tools such as ads, postcards, and templates for press releases and emails are now available on FMC’s website.

Elements of Markets Are Up! include:
• Print-ready images for advertisements, posters, mailers and other collateral point of sale material that illustrate the positive health, community, and economic aspects of farmers markets
• Marketing materials featuring a “I Love Farmers Market” logo, including decals and bookmarks• Fact sheets and Frequently Asked Questions, including statistics, data, study results, and other information about farmers markets
• Glossary of Terms defining over 30 common labels found at farmers markets including “heirloom,” “grass-fed,” “free-range,” and “locally-grown”

Markets are Up! was developed in partnership with the USDA/AMS Marketing Services Division. Support was also provided by a variety of sponsoring businesses and organizations, including Ethix Merchandise and SQN Communications.

USDA/AMS currently estimates that there are approximately 4,800 farmers markets in operation in the U.S. The agency will release its updated tally of U.S. farmers markets for 2009 during National Farmers Market Week. USDA has officially celebrated the first full week of August as National Farmers Market Week since 2000, and in 2008, USDA designated National Farmers Market Week a permanent fixture on the USDA calendar.To access the Markets are Up! materials cited above visit the FMC site.

About USDA’s AMS ProgramThe U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service administers programs that facilitate the efficient, fair marketing of U.S. agricultural products, including food, fiber, and specialty crops. AMS has about 5,500 employees located throughout the United States. For more information about AMS’s farmers market and direct food marketing activities, please visit the AMS Marketing Services Division’s home page.

The Farmers Market Coalition (FMC) is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to strengthening farmers markets for the benefit of farmers, consumers, and communities. Through education, networking, and advocacy, FMC builds leadership and capacity for farmers markets and the organizations that support them.

Download the Markets Are Up! press release here.

First wave of small nonprofits must file by May 15

We get a lot of questions about how a market becomes a nonprofit and what steps they must take to obtain this status. Below you will find information about filing your market as a nonprofit.

BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. - A recent change in federal tax law requires all organizations with 501(c)(3) status to file annual tax returns, regardless of income. In the past, only nonprofits with annual revenues more than $25,000 were required to file federal tax returns, said a University of Missouri Extension community development specialist.

The good news is that form 990-N is available online and easy to fill out, said Georgia Stuart-Simmons. To file, go to http://www.irs.gov/charities/ and click on the link "Annual Electronic Filing Requirement for Small Exempt Organizations." The form is reported to be so simple to complete that the Internal Revenue Service is calling it an "e-Postcard."

Required information includes the organization's Employer Identification Number (EIN), the tax year, the organization's legal name and address, the name and address of a principal officer, the organization's Web site address ( if there is one) and confirmation that gross receipts were less than $25,000.

The e-Postcard is due every year by the 15th day of the fifth month after the close of the organization's tax year. For organizations with a fiscal year that ended on Dec. 31, the filing deadline is May 15. So if you work for, volunteer for or serve on the board of a small nonprofit organization, ask if your organization has filed with the IRS - and do it soon.

Contact person:
Rebecca Gants
West Central Senior Information Specialist
University of Missouri Cooperative Media Group
Phone: (816) 812-2534
E-Mail: gantsr@missouri.edu