Helping Farmers Markets Adapt to Current Consumer Trends - Lessons Learned from the Field

January 26, 2021


In this session we will hear perspectives from farmers and vendors across NYS who participate in markets who made changes to their market operations based on recommendations in the toolkit. Join us to hear the farmers perspective on the toolkit, as well as changes that farmers can consider to increase their sales in the 2021 market season.

Register for this event here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2601495498986953231

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In 2018, farmers markets in many areas of the country reported that they were experiencing a decrease in customer attendance, resulting in declining sales for their farmers and vendors. The Farmers Market Federation of NY, in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County, Communities Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA), NOFA VT, University of Maryland Cooperative Extension and the Maryland Farmers Market Association, launched a multistate consumer survey to learn consumers' attitudes toward shopping for local food at farmers markets. The results formed the basis of the Consumer Survey Toolkit designed to help farmers markets recover their customer base and regain sales for their farmers.

The Consumer Survey Toolkit was launched in January 2020 with a series of webinars to showcase the toolkit and assist market managers to adapt their farmers markets to mirror the needs and wants of their customer base. The goal was that farmers markets, farm educators and farmers would be able to use the toolkit to benefit their markets for the 2020 farmers market season.

March 2020 brought us the Coronavirus pandemic and halted efforts to build market programs, services and policies to improve customer traffic at farmers markets. Rather all efforts were focused on keeping farmers markets open and operating under COVID guidelines and restrictions. We recognize there was a resurgence in the desire for local food and support for local farms and farmers markets brought on by the pandemic, but there is uncertainty over whether that resurgence will hold for upcoming seasons.

To assist farmers markets, farmers, and farm educators in preparing for the upcoming 2021 farmers market season, and ensure the continued resurgence in supporting local food purchasing, the Farmers Market Federation of NY and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County are hosting a series of webinars to further showcase the SARE Consumer Survey Toolkit. Each session will look at sections of the toolkit with the goal of helping prepare farmers markets to better reflect consumer attitudes toward shopping at farmers markets. Presenters will highlight the programs, services and policies of markets of all sizes in urban, suburban and rural areas.

All sessions are presented through a webinar format to allow maximum participation. You are invited to join any and all sessions at no charge. But registration is required. Please use the registration links for each session and register yourself for each session. A link to the webinar will be emailed to you following your registration.

"This material is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under subaward number ENE18-150."