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Roadmap to WIC & Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program in 2023

Katherine Flores, FMNP Lead, Washington State Department of Health (DOH)
Nick Lee, WIC Vendor/Farmers Market Specialist, Office of Nutrition Services, DOH
Cameron Akita, State Unit on Aging Program Manager, Department of Social and Health Services
Presentation slides

In 2022, over $2 million was redeemed by farmers through the Farmers Market Nutrition Program. In response to industry changes, WA state is one of the first to transition from paper vouchers/checks to an electronic benefit card. As pioneers, there will be learning and adapting for sure. This workshop will be a deep dive into the mobile website and how it will work for markets and growers. How can market managers best prepare to support their market vendors and customers through this transition? What communication tools will be available to share the coming changes to FMNP?

Tips and Tricks to Applying, Securing, and Keeping Your Market SNAP Authorized

Lisa Roach, MarketLink
Presentation slides

SNAP Authorization for farmers markets can be a bit of a puzzle. And navigating a shift in market management can jeopardize well-established SNAP programs. Lisa Roach, from FNS contractor MarketLink, will share valuable details about the SNAP Authorization process that will take the guesswork out of applying, identify key strategies to keep your application on track, and helpful hints to help markets maintain their authorization through changes in leadership.

Breaking Down Food Access Barriers: The King County Peer-to-Peer Pilot

Seth Schromen-Wawrin, Public Health-Seattle & King County
Presentation slides

Learn about South King County’s Peer-to-Peer Outreach pilot that engaged 15 community members to develop and conduct digital outreach in their communities to break down perceived barriers and encourage shoppers to access available food benefits at farmers markets. This project increased community-based outreach for SNAP and SNAP Market Match at Auburn, Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Kent East Hill, Renton, and Tukwila Village Farmers Markets. How can this model be adapted in your community to reach a new audience, create more welcoming spaces, or increase shopper engagement?

Are Harvest, Holiday & Winter Markets right for your farmers market?

Sarah Dylan-Jensen, Snohomish Farmers Market, Lake Stevens Farmers Market & Stanwood Farmers Markets; and Mockingjay Press
Matt Kelly, Queen Anne Farmers Market
Hannah Ladwig, Gorge Grown Food Network

Panel presentation slides:
Snohomish FM S Dylan-Jensen 2023
Queen Anne FM M Kelly 2023
Hood River FM H Ladwig 2023

Adding a market during the shoulder season, outside of your main market season is on the rise. Learn from the experiences of three experienced market peers on how they decided to start their Harvest, Holiday, or Winter markets, and lessons about permits, selecting dates and days, promotions, and working with vendors.

Finding & Keeping Great Market Staff

Annie Quammen, Superfeet & Bellingham Farmers Market Board
Presentation slides

While always a challenge, larger national trends make hiring and retaining farmers market staff even more tricky. And yet an experienced market team is vital to keeping operations running smoothly. In this workshop we’ll learn from Annie Quammen, a Human Resources professional and Bellingham Farmers Market board member, about best practices that all markets can use to keep staff coming back for the next season.

What’s on the Horizon? Strategic Planning for Farmers Markets

Julie Edsforth, Edsforth Consulting
Presentation slides

We all know finding time to look ahead to 3- or 5-year planning is important, but sometimes it can take all our energy to get through the season! And yet, strategic planning can be a game changer for the manager and market organization. Drawing on her experience working with farmers markets, Julie Edsforth of Edsforth Consulting will walk us through the planning process: why do it, whose responsibility is it, what steps are needed, and how to get started.

Systems Thinking and Navigating Organizational Concerns

Hana Butler, Nash Consulting
Presentation slides
Handouts

Expert consultant and former market manager, Hana Butler will help your market and managers build new management muscles to help us succeed. We’ll use the Waterline Model to help diagnose gaps and roadblocks that reinforce unhealthy patterns/homeostasis at different levels. Using this systems approach, we can get clear on whose job it is to deal with organizational issues and how to help employees or vendors engage in healthy, professional work to solve their own problems. Every organization, team or leader WILL hit roadblocks. What sets greatness apart is the ability to recognize roadblocks as a chance to quickly drop beneath the waterline, identify and address the problem, and get back on track.

Adding a “Big Event” to your Fundraising Plans: A “Farm to Table Dinner” Case Study

Cali Osborne, Cascade Community Markets
Presentation slides

Blank Farm to Table Master Sheet

Figuring out the right mix of fundraising activities is a challenge for farmers markets of any size. A big annual event can sound daunting. Cali Osborne will unpack the Cascade Community Market’s annual Farm to Table Dinner Fundraiser as a case study to highlight insights and how-to advice about finding partners, growing your event, the real costs, and everything they learned the hard way – so you don’t have to.

Lightning Round: Fast & Furious Updates from Farmers Market Resources

Wondering what is new from Campbell Risk Management, Manage My Market, MarketWurks, USDA National Ag Statistical Service, WA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Washington State Department of Agriculture, and more? Then come hear the latest updates in a fun and fast-paced Lightning Round! Hosted by WSFMA Conference Lightning Round emcee, Patrice Barrentine.

Presentation slides

  • Campbell Risk Management, Larry Spilker (Exhibitor)
  • Eat Local First, Micha Ide (Sponsor)
  • Manage My Market, Staci DeShasier (Exhibitor)
  • MarketWurks.com, Chris Quinlan (Sponsor, Exhibitor)
  • USDA National Ag Statistical Service, Dennis Koong (Exhibitor)
  • USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, Rebecca Anderson, Reuben Garnett, and Kyle Reardon (Exhibitor)
  • Washington State Conservation Commission, Toyo Garber (Sponsor, Exhibitor)
  • Washington State Department of Agriculture, Regional Markets Laura Raymond and Galen VanHorn (Sponsor, Exhibitor)
  • Washington State Department of Agriculture, Produce Safety, Travis Alexander and Evan Low (Exhibitor)
  • King County Ag Program, Patrice Barrentine (Sponsor)

What do I need to do to sell at a Farmers Market? Overview of Permits & Licenses

Laura Raymond, Washington State Department of Agriculture, WSDA Regional Markets
Leonard Winchester, Public Health-Seattle & King County

Presentation slides
WSDA Handbook for Small and Direct Marketing Farms (“The Green Book”)
Washington State Retail Food Code (March 2022)
Washington Local Health Jurisdictions

Gone are the days when vendors could just show up and sell. For every vendor, there are licenses or permits that they need as a business or for specific products. We’ll review the main requirements for the most common farmers markets products with experts from WSDA as well as health departments and licensing. We’ll also share ways to help with and check compliance so everyone can focus on growing and selling wonderful products to your shoppers.

Practical Tips on Building a Successful Sponsorship Program at your Farmers Market

Matt Kelly, Queen Anne Farmers Market
Pat Milliman, Jefferson County Farmers Markets
Tina Eifert, WSFMA Regional Lead

Panel presentation slides:
Queen Anne FM M Kelly 2023
Jefferson Co FM P Milliman 2023
Camas FM T Eifert 2023

Regardless of your market size, sponsors can provide funding, visibility, and new connections for your farmers markets. We’ll hear from three different market experiences to highlight what works for them, share backend planning tools, and inspire you to increase your market sponsors in 2023.

Sharing Your Market’s Stories: Gaining Earned Media with Limited Time & Money

Jennifer Antos, Neighborhood Farmers Markets
Presentation slides

If you’ve ever lamented the size of your marketing budget or wished the rest of your community could connect to the stories inside your farmers market, join this session about earned media! What is it? What are the benefits and how can you attain it with limited time and resources? Dive into examples of earned media from markets across the state and look at creative content that did the trick. Learn about the components of a press release and creating press kits, as well as working with reporters and managing press contacts. The session will also cover the housekeeping that supports earned media, such as organizing digital assets and managing photo permissions. You will leave ready to try at least one new thing this season!

What does Climate Change mean for WA Farmers?

Chad Kruger, WSU Center for Sustaining Ag & Natural Resources
Sonia Hall, WSU Center for Sustaining Ag & Natural Resources
Presentation slides
Ag Climate Network Agriculture and Climate Change Research in the Pacific Northwest
A Gardening Response to Climate Change from WSU Master Gardeners

Farmers market managers know about wildfire smoke, heat domes, cold domes, and flooding. WSU’s Sonia Hall and Chad Kruger, leaders in the intersection of climate and agriculture, will help us understand what the natural scientists are discovering about changes afoot for farmers – and where we are heading. What do we know about where food may be grown and when it will be brought to market in the future? Also, how can we engage and where can we find more resources on this topic?