National Farmers Market Week is one month away, happening August 4-10, 2024. Now in its 25th year, this annual celebration highlights the vital role farmers markets play in our nation’s food system. With fun events, programs, contests, activities, and more, the week helps to boost market attendance and visibility as well as showcase the value markets bring to their communities. 

Farmers markets throughout Wisconsin can hold events and have special promotions during the first full week in August.  In addition to promoting their market, farmers market leaders recognize the celebration as an opportunity to connect with their communities, build relationships with local, state, and federal officials, secure sponsorship and grant funding, encourage data collection and research, and more.  

It can be a lot of work to plan a festive week, but the Farmers Market Coalition has developed the National Farmers Market Week Toolkit, a comprehensive resource for market leaders that offers tools, templates, guides, ideas, and more for planning and participating in National Farmers Market Week!

Let the Wisconsin Farmers Market Association know what you are doing during National Farmers Market Week by tagging us on our social media!  Be sure to send folks to our website too to help promote and support the work WFMA is doing in Wisconsin along with our "Find A Market" mapping tool!

Running from June 1 - July 31, 2024, the 16th annual America’s Farmers Market Celebration (AFMC), sponsored by American Farmland Trust, showcases the essential markets across the nation making a difference for farmers, ranchers, and communities.

During this time, market shoppers and supporters can vote for their favorite market by visiting markets.farmland.org. In addition to recognizing the top markets in each region of America, the AFMC will crown an overall “People’s Choice” winner as the top-endorsed market in the country.

We believe that every farmers market in America is special in its own way. Big or small, in cities or rural towns, farmers markets nourish their communities while helping local farmers, food makers, and artisans thrive. While the AFMC does rank America’s favorite markets, our intention is to lift up the vital role farmers markets play across the country. The AFMC database and interactive map on markets.farmland.org is the largest and most comprehensive listing of farmers markets in the United States, containing more than 7,000 listings and allowing anyone in America to find local farmers markets wherever they live or visit.

To recognize America’s favorite farmers markets, this year, we are pleased to announce that the total cash prizes are a combined $15,000 and that the top five markets in the United States that finish in the “People’s Choice” category will receive an award. The breakdown of prize money is as follows: $5,000 for first, $2,500 for second, $1,500 for third, $750 for fourth, $250 for fifth, and $100 for 1st in each state. These funds will be awarded to markets to go towards marketing, communications, and other needs that help expand the market’s reach and impact.

Learn tips for running and growing a successful food business from specialists and entrepreneurs! This no-cost series of online trainings is for food entrepreneurs and farm-based food businesses.

The UW-Madison Extension Community Food Systems Program will provide no-cost virtual workshops for small-scale food and farming business start-ups during Mondays in April, from April 1st to April 29th at 2pm CST.

The sessions will cover topics such as:

• food licensing
• food trucks
• cooperative businesses and partnerships
• social media best practices

 

Registration and more info HERE.

Take an hour to develop your knowledge of farmers market topics specific to Wisconsin on the first four Fridays in March from 11am to 12pm. The Wisconsin Farmers Market Association and the University of Wisconsin Extension are bringing together experts on grant opportunities, developing a food-based business, volunteers, and Wisconsin farmers markets to ensure that markets have access to education across the state. Learn more here: https://www.waukeshacounty.gov/UWEX/HORT/FM/FMMSC/

This program is free but registration is required at https://forms.gle/2JtEikyJ2o9kVzK3A.

Date

Title

Description

Speaker

March 1

Grant Opportunities for Farmers Markets

Learn about the free services for Midwestern farmers, agricultural entrepreneurs and institutions offered by Michael Fields Agricultural Institute. MFAI’s Advisors can help you apply to grant, loan, and cost-share programs of state or federal sources. These can be programs of any federal or state agency, not just the USDA, as well as private sources.

Wren Almitra, Grant Advisor, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute

March 8

Learn about Wisconsin's Food Finance Institute

The Food Finance Institute supports a collaborative network and partners with training, resources, tools and coaching, fulfilling its mission of making sophisticated financial technical assistance available to every growing food, beverage and value-added agriculture enterprise. Learn more about the resources and services they provide.

Andy Larson, Farm Outreach Specialist, Food Finance Institute

March 15

Results of 2022 Farmers’ Market Survey

In 2022 a statewide survey of Wisconsin farmers market collected data from over 100 markets. Learn about the survey results and how you market compares to the others in the state.

Kristin Krokowski, Commercial Horticulture Educator, UW-Madison Extension Waukesha County

March 22

Strategic Volunteer Engagement

Volunteers are an essential element of all kinds of events, including farmer’s markets. Understanding how to identify and define volunteer roles, recruit and retain volunteers, and recognize, engage and communicate effectively with your volunteer network to help make your market more sustainable and vibrant.

Adriana Humbert, Downtown Promotions Manager, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

Market operators are invited to spend a day developing your farmers market skills and knowledge at one of our Farmers Market Manager Workshops. We have invited speakers to share their expertise and reserved two time slots for round table discussions where our attendees can ask questions and share their knowledge. The Farmers Market Manager Workshop will be held in three different locations around the state with the speakers the same at each. The cost of the workshop is $40 and is non-refundable.  More info here: https://www.waukeshacounty.gov/UWEX/HORT/FM/fmmw

Workshop Locations:

Monday, February 26th - Waupaca

Waupaca County Courthouse
Location Host: Katie Hassemer
katie.hassemer@wisc.edu

Monday, March 18th - Portage

Columbia County Courthouse
Location Host: Jenna Phillips
jenna.phillips@wisc.edu

Wednesday, March 20th - West Allis

Greenfield Park Pavilion
Location Host: Emily Fons
ecfons@wisc.edu

---

Workshop Agenda*

  8:00 am     Registration

  8:30 am     Introductions 

  8:45 am     Data Makes the Difference

Happy vendor, happy life! The key to a successful market is happy vendors. When they are making money, they bring their best products, have a great attitude, and that reflects on spending. I'm going to explain how the 6 year-old Oak Creek market started collecting sales data, and how it has led to over $1 million in 2023.  It doesn’t cost a dime, it just takes a little time, and will make you 100% more efficient as a manager.; Dawn Carillo, Manager, Oak Creek Farmers Market & Oak Creek Winter Farmers Market

  9:30 am     Group Discussion—Market Manger’s Data Use Experience

10:00 am     Common Legal Issues for Farmers Markets

This session will focus on legal issues confronted by farmers market managers. We will discuss risk and liability at the market, vendor issues, and some food-specific legal issues; Jeff Glazer, Clinical Associate Professor, UW Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic, UW-Madison Clinical Associate Professor, UW Madison Law

10:45 am     Break

11:00 am     Market Manager Round Table Discussion #1

11:45 am     Farmers Market Nutrition Program 2024 Updates

Overview of Farmers Market Nutrition Program, review of the 2023 season, and plans for the 2024 season; Allie Valitchka, Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program Coordinator, WI Department of Health

12:00 am     Lunch

12:45 am     WI Farmers Market Survey Results

In 2022 over100 farmers markets from across the state participated in a survey to assess the current state of farmers markets in Wisconsin. Learn about the results and how your market compares to others in Wisconsin. Kristin Krokowski, UW Madison Extension

  1:00 pm     The Rules Apply to Everyone - How to Identify Suspect Food Safety in Home-Made Foods

In this session, Master Food Preserver, independent food historian, and former farm market seller, Christina Ward will review the current rules under Wisconsin Pickle and Cookie Law (Cottage food laws) and how to apply them to your markets. We'll talk about product labeling, establishing best-practice policies, what to ask of potential vendors on their applications, and how to communicate with violators. Christina will also share tips on how to recognize "bad" canning and bakery. Christina Ward, Master Food Preserver SE Wisconsin

  1:45 pm     Nutrition Incentive Update

Let's talk about GusNip and other nutrition incentive programs in the state and potential ways we can work together to make healthy food more affordable and accessible for all. Kelly Hammond, Healthy Retail Specialist, Extension Portage County

  2:30 pm     Break

  2:45 pm     Market Manager Round Table Discussion #2

  3:30 pm     Adjourn—Hang out

 *Order of speakers may vary based on location. 

UW-Madison Division of Extension Community Food Systems Program is partnering with Green Bay nonprofit New Food Forum to organize a 2-day summit for Wisconsin food and farming entrepreneurs! The 2023 FEED Summit will be held in-person on November 13-14, 2023, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. This year’s theme is: ADDING VALUE to Your Food or Farming Business!

The Community Food Systems Program’s Food Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Development (FEED) Initiative is a statewide program of UW-Madison Extension that promotes food entrepreneurship training and network development for value-added producers and aspiring and small-scale food business operators. UW-Madison Extension’s outreach creates key connection points for families, communities, businesses, non-profit organizations, government, and more. Extension supports local volunteers and leaders to take action and serve as role models in their communities. Extension has a presence in every county in Wisconsin and in partnership with First Nations to make sure Wisconsinites have the latest research, best practices, and educational opportunities. 

The local co-host for the 2023 FEED Summit is New Food Forum – an “an initiative of food and health businesses and organizations working to grow the local food system and the relationships that support it.” They identify groups working on local food issues, strengthen relationships among these groups, create policy related to a regional food system, and recognize the national and global nature of the food system. Amanda Chu, one of the founders of New Food Forum, states, “We’re helping co-host the FEED Summit because supporting equitable access to food entrepreneurship resources is a key factor in developing economic resiliency and equity within a community.”

Extension and New Food Forum will kick off the statewide, in-person conference on Monday (Nov 13th) morning at 8:30 am with a Networking Breakfast then the first Keynote at 9:30 am. Breakout sessions will go in-depth into business topics ranging from business planning to finding funding to food safety. Breakout sessions will also include time for summit participants to ask the speakers questions. Additionally, participants will have several opportunities to meet directly with small business development professionals, including legal experts from the UW-Madison Law and Entrepreneurship Clinic. During the two full days of breakout sessions, networking breaks, and visiting exhibitor booths, summit participants will meet hundreds of other participants from across the state, including both service providers and other entrepreneurs. 

On Tuesday, conference participants will have the opportunity to tell other participants about their product or business idea in the Entrepreneur Showcase. The Entrepreneur Showcase is toward the end of the conference so that participants can use what they learn at the conference to prepare how to best showcase their products or ideas. 

The FEED Summit networking dinner on Monday night will provide excellent networking opportunities for participants and will highlight Green Bay food entrepreneurs. The networking dinner will begin at 5:30 pm at a new event and commercial space opening this fall called “The Cannery” – a food hall space that includes Titletown Brewery and several restaurants in Downtown Green Bay. We’ll hear from The Startup Hub Manager Ron Franklin about The Cannery project and about the complementary Startup Week Wisconsin events in Green Bay from November 14-18.

Statewide Food Entrepreneurship Specialist, Jessica Jane Spayde, stated: “In organizing this conference, we hold ourselves to high standards of quality and accessibility. The quality of speakers, sessions, and business experts at the FEED Summit are unrivaled in Wisconsin – and, thanks to our sponsors and exhibitors, we can offer this high-quality conference at an accessible price-point for beginning and new food entrepreneurs.” 

Thanks to sponsors like Compeer, Extension is able to offer participant registration starting at $75, increasing to $85 after September 15th. All are welcome to this learning, connecting, and promotional space to ADD VALUE to your food business!

Find more information on the FEED Summit homepage: https://go.wisc.edu/j40254. 

Register here: https://go.wisc.edu/7116b8. 

A limited number of scholarships are available through our partnering organizations. For additional information about the FEED Summit email Extension Community Food Systems Food Entrepreneurship Specialist Jessica Jane Spayde at Spayde@wisc.edu. 

Check out the toolkit Bringing the Farm Bill to Your Farmers Market

Join the Farmers Market Coalition in celebrating National Farmers Market Week from August 6, 2023 to August 12, 2023! 

Farmers Markets:

• Preserve Farmland
• Stimulate Local Economies
• Increase Access to Nutritious Food
• Support Healthy Communities
• Promote Sustainability