Ohio Farmers Market Conference

Healthy food, especially fruits and vegetables, is out of reach for too many families in America. Over the past decade, innovative programs (known as nutrition incentives) have emerged that aim to increase healthy food access for those who need it most. Hear from a panel of farmers market managers who have developed, funded and operated successful programs. 

Discover proven strategies for using targeted events and interactive market programming to boost shopper foot traffic, extend visit times, and build lasting customer loyalty. 

You have funding, but now what? This session will equip you with practical strategies to review, assess and optimize market partnerships, sponsors and fundraising strategies, both in-kind and monetary. Through lecture, group brainstorming and a hands-on exercise market managers will learn to evaluate current sponsorships and fundraising strategies for value and strategic fit. You’ll leave with fresh, peer-inspired ideas and a practical template to determine what to grow and what to phase out. 

Taking the guesswork out of social media doesn’t require a full-time marketing team, just a clear, consistent plan. In this session market managers will learn how to build a year round social media calendar to drive foot traffic, expand post reach, and turn followers into loyal market shoppers. 

Being prepared for an unexpected food recall will help you and your farmers mitigate risk. While no one wants to have a recall associated with their market or farm, it is best to always be prepared. This “game” will help you better understand the steps needed to trace a food safety problem back to the source.

Farmers market rules and regulations are more than words on paper. Or at least they should be! Through these dynamic small-group discussions, managers will practice the CALM method to resolve root causes of minor rule violations and build consistent enforcement systems. Participants will leave with a practical problem-solving framework, stronger communication strategies, and actionable tools to immediately improve market operations and vendor relationships.