1. For Those Who Want Fresh Farm to Table
Farmers Markets Profiler 2016
Brought to you by THE MEDIACENTER

2. A Community Gathering Place
According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), there were 86 more farmers markets in the US during 2016 than 2015 – 8,562 and 8,476, respectively. Collectively, they generated $1.3 billion in annual revenue with products from 150,000 farmers.
The Farmers Market Coalition in conjunction with the USDA has promoted the acceptance of Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, at farmers markets, which has increased 400% during the past decade.
Farmers markets provide a great diversity of products for their customers: vegetables, 69%; livestock, poultry or eggs, 53%; fruits and tree nuts, 47%; and value-added products, 31%.

3. Value and Variety
During August 2015, a price survey from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets found that the price of organic and local produce and local meats at 13 farmer markets were within 10% of the prices at 5 retail establishments.
For certified organic produce, just 8% (blueberries, specifically) were not considered competitively priced at farmers markets; however, 92% were competitively priced, including apples, broccoli, carrots, chard, kale and lettuce, among others.
For non-organic produce, 67% of items surveyed were not competitively priced (beets, green beans, radishes and others) with the other 33% competitively priced (cucumbers, strawberries and others).

4. Managers’ Views
The 2014 Farmers Market Manager Survey from the USDA found that 64% of more than 1,000 managers said customer traffic increased, 63% said there was an increase of repeat customers and 63% reported an increase in annual revenues.
Of the managers responding to the survey, 73% said that other farmers markets in the area did not adversely affect sales at their market, and 85% were planning to add more vendors to their market.
The survey also found that 75% of managers said volunteers worked at their market and 46% of volunteers were named as managers. At least one vendor at 74% of farmers markets accepted federal nutrition assistance payments.

5. Expansion and Transition
A March 2015 survey from American Farmland Trust and Farmers Market Coalition found that 21.3% of farmers who sell at farmers markets said improving and funding advertising and signage was the top way the markets could help farmers sell more.
Fresh Nation launched during 2015, and partnered with Amazon to make it possible for consumers to order and have delivered fresh, local food products from farmers who sell at farmers markets because markets are typically only open a few hours per week.
As farmers markets have become more popular, especially in major cities, many of them have transitioned to an upscale food “mall” with restaurants. This has attracted more consumers, but has also caused a sales decline of farmer-supplied products.

6. Advertising Strategies
With many farmers markets becoming more upscale with restaurants and non-traditional products and services, they are likely to have the advertising budget to use TV to announce special events and run flights during weekend programming.
Even if farmers markets are only occasional TV advertisers, they will benefit from a presence on your station’s Website, with paid ad space and/or links to their Website with important nutritional information, special events announcements and community programs.
Farmers markets could promote a “Bring-a-Neighbor” and/or a “Bring-a-Friend” weekend, offering coupons and special discounts with a qualifying purchase when neighbors and/or friends shop together.

7. New Media Strategies
marketing is a valuable medium for farmers markets to announce new items from a local farmer new to the market as well as limited-time specials. All vendors should be encouraged to gather addresses, and offering an incentive makes it easier.
Social media is a perfect platform to show the quality of produce and other items in photos and videos as well as providing nutritional information, which is a major consumer benefit when purchasing food items direct from local farmers.
Community involvement is an excellent strategy to build the brand of a farmers market: tours for school groups, senior citizens, local elected officials, etc.; generating interest in volunteering; and providing food items to homeless shelters and similar facilities.

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