Title	Description
Building Food Access Capacity at Farmers Markets	Learn about WSFMA's Regional Leads program and how to tap into existing resources to bring more low-income shoppers to your market. Kate Delavan and Regional Leads, Washington State Farmers Market Association.
Data Collection for Farmers Markets	Tips and Tricks for getting not just good data, but the right data. Learn why it’s important and how to manage your data for daily operations as well as grants and advocacy. Ivy Fox and Julian O'Reilley, Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance.
Happy Vendors Happy Managers	Communication as a tool for success: Utilizing practical examples and best practices to improve how we operate and function in both daily operations and during times of crisis! Ivy Fox, Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance; Caleb Johns, Vashon Island Farmers Market.
What Makes a Site Permanent?	What makes sense for your market? A permanent structure, secure access to a street or public space? Hear from four experienced market managers: Zack Cook, Caprice Teske, Chris Curtis, and Shane Laib.
Building Better Market Boards	Learn about farmers market board best practices including tips on board governance, personnel management, communication, and how to recruit and keep strong performers. Holly O'Neil, Crossroads Consulting.
Tracking Freshbucks, WIC Checks, Tokens, and More: Accounting for Farm-Direct Alternative Currencies	Overwhelmed by all the currency options at your market? Learn bookkeeping best practices for managing EBT, Credit/Debit, match tokens and other market cash. Sheri Muntean, Shamballa Centre; Rita Ordonez, Consultant.
Come Early, Stay Late: Season Extension Strategies for Market Produce Growers	Two of Washington State's most innovative direct market farmers discuss how they use greenhouses and succession planting to maintain the best variety of produce no matter what time of year. Zucchini in April? Raspberries in February? Lettuce year round? Learn how they do it and about how grateful their customers are for their off-season efforts. Tentative: Jesse Hopkins & John Gunning, Colinwood Farm; Clayton Burrows, Growing Washington.
Destination Agriculture: bringing shoppers onto the farm	Three different types of farms describe how they invite the public onto their farm, how they relate to farmers markets, and why its so important to make the connection not just between producer and consumer, but also between the consumer and the land itself. Crystie Kisler, Finnriver Farm; Bill Wavrin, Ferndale Farmstead Creamery; Addie Candib, Cloud Mountain Farm. Moderated by Keynote Speaker Erin Buckwalter, NOFA Vermont.
What’s New and Mandatory? FDA Produce Safety Rule 101	The new FDA Produce Rule under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is the first federal food safety law that sets specific standards for produce farms. What exactly does that mean for Washington’s direct marketing growers? Get the most current information about how farms, crops and handling practices are impacted. WSDA will review small farm exemptions, compliance deadlines and plans for education and enforcement. Gain a comprehensive understanding of requirements involving compost, equipment, worker health and hygiene, training and water quality and how this compares to GAP standards. Learn requirements for water testing and how standards vary depending on water source and application. Karen Ullmann, Washington State Department of Agriculture.
Finding and Keeping Good Staff for your Market Booths and Farms	Learn about how to find and keep good employees for your farmers market business and how to ensure you have employees who add value to your farm booth and make more money than they cost! Hear the ins and outs of interviewing, how to train and supervise to build trust, and how to know if your employees are giving you their best performance. The Tonnemaker family has been selling at farmers markets for 25 years and will share their tricks and secrets (as well as some very useful some forms!). Kurt Tonnemaker & Stacy Felure, Tonnemaker Hill Farm.
Building the Washington State Farmers Market Integrity Project	We're still at it! Hear results of the 2016 pilot with cherry farmers, updates on the common vendor application, plans for 2017, and receive a “Pocket Guide to Farmers Market Terms" in English and Spanish. Colleen Donovan, Consultant.
State of Tree Fruit in Washington	Overview of WA tree fruit industry, including industry trends. Jon DeVaney, President of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association.
The Rise of the Social Era: Simple & Effective Ways to Use Social Media for your Market or Farm	For many, the term "social media" can mean one more business headache facing your market or farm. However, social media is changing the web right before our eyes, evolving how we communicate online, and the relationship between market shoppers and markets (and vendors!). Join us for an in-depth look at what social media really is, how it can benefit your market or farm, and simple strategies from one of the NW’s leading social media firms, Project Bionic. You will come away with a checklist of simple ways to enhance and empower social strategies for your market or farm today. John Dirks, Project Bionic. Moderated by Carrie Olson, Renton Farmers Market.
Grow your Market with Kids Programming	Learn about how to grow the next generation of farmers market shoppers –kids! Three panelists will share how they've designed kids programs which encourage excitement and foster learning, helping make great farmers market memories for kids who will grow to become steadfast shoppers. Find out what works, how it’s done, lessons learned and what you need to start or improve programs at your market! Jesse Hansen, CCS; Anna Kitchin, WSU Food $ense; Rachael Reiton, Community Farmers Market (Chehalis); Phillip Lee, Readers to Eaters.
Fundraising: Building Lasting Relationships	Now that you've identified some funders, how do you keep them giving over the long term? Relationship building skills and event ideas from two fantastic fundraisers. Stacy Carkonen, Tacoma Farmers Market; Sheryl Wiser, Tilth Alliance.
Farm Tours and Food Loops	How to create partnerships to promote farm and market tourism. Learn best practices for self-guided and organized food loops and farm tours. Aba Kaiser, WSU Jefferson County Ext; Sara Sutherland, Sustainable Connections; Crystie Kisler, Finnriver Farm and Cidery; Ravina Sidhu, Tourism Chilliwack; Patrice Barrentine, King County Agriculture Program & Savor Washington. Moderated by Keynote Speaker Erin Buckwalter, NOFA Vermont.
AmeriCorps: Help others and meet critical needs in your community	Bring health and nutrition education to your farmers market through an AmeriCorps volunteer. Learn how to become a site, how to facilitate the contract, and about the benefits of having AmeriCorps and Vista staffers. Kathleen Burns, Moscow Farmers Market.
Giving Chefs What They Want	Learn about boosting direct sales capacity for farms by attracting chefs and restaurants to the market and directly to the farm. Fred Berman, Northwest Agriculture Business Center.
WSFMA Market Management Toolkit Tour	Ever wonder what all those food access terms mean? Want to explore becoming a 501c3? Curious about the latest rulings on ASCAP and BMI? Wish you had steps on recruiting new board members? Learn how to find these resources and more both online and in hand. Karen Kinney, Washington State Farmers Market Association; Colleen Donovan, Consultant.
Champion or Challenge: How to Advocate with Any Lawmaker	How to best present and represent your market to the power players. Governments, sponsors, partners, and more. How to engage and get what your organization needs. Claire Lane, Anti-Hunger Nutrition Coalition; Christina Wong, Northwest Harvest. Moderated by Brian Estes, Washington State Farmers Market Association.
WIC & Senior FMNP Training for Market Managers and Growers	The Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) can increases sales and brings new shoppers to the market. Market managers and growers will learn everything they need to know about accepting WIC & Senior FMNP checks. Katherine Flores, Department of Health FMNP Program.