Farmers Market Federation of NY — 2021 Webinar Schedule: SNAP for Farmers and Farmers Markets

There are a lot of advantages to joining the SNAP program. As a farm, you are able to add new customers for your products, increasing sales and profits. Farmers markets will be able to make their markets more accessible to a wider segment of their community, as well as bringing more sales opportunities to your participating farmers and vendors. Joining SNAP is not hard to do, and New York State makes it easy and affordable for you! Learn how to join by participating in these free workshops offered by the Farmers Market Federation of NY via zoom.

Each topic will be repeated twice to allow you to participate in the date most convenient to you. These will also be recorded and posted on the Farmers Market Federation of NY’s website for future reference and referrals.

There will also be ample opportunity in each session for you to ask questions to help you make the decision to join the SNAP program and earn more customers and sales!

Enrolling in SNAP: Is It the Right Move for You?

The SNAP program (formerly known as the Food Stamp Program) holds the potential for farmers to increase their customer base and their farm revenues. This workshop will focus on enrolling SNAP for farmers markets; why you should participate and how you can apply to be a farmer SNAP retailer.

View the Webinar

Operating SNAP at a NY Farmers Market

Farmers Markets all across NYS have stepped up to operate a SNAP program in the markets, bringing new customers to the market and adding revenue to their farmers. This system operates on a central terminal system with one terminal in the market and tokens used as SNAP currency. This workshop will provide key information on operating the central terminal system and tokens in the marketplace. Learn what your rights and responsibilities are, what NYS can provide to help you with your program, and some basic promotions for your SNAP program.

Tuesday, May 4: Noon — 1:30pm

Attend the Webinar

2021 Farmers Markets Managers Virtual Conference

Reimagining Markets for a Brand New World:
Adapting Markets in our Newly Changed Environment

Farmers Market Managers Virtual Conference March 1-4, 2021 

2020 showed us the dynamic resilience of Farmers Markets and their operators to restructure, redesign, and renovate for safely providing delivery of locally grown nutritious food for their customers.  The 2021 Market Managers Conference will highlight lessons learned through the 2020 season by looking at best practices, expanding upon how markets can be reimagined as agents of change for future challenges while continuing to ensure we meet the needs of our communities, customers, farmers, and vendors in our newly changed environment.  

Here is a description of three of our featured conference sessions to look forward to:

Renovating your Market when Change is Needed

We welcome Chereese Jervis-Hill and Deb Wagoner, managers of markets in both downstate and the Western region. They will share their experiences as new managers, how they implemented measures that helped to transform their markets, and what promotions and strategies they used for rebuilding and creating smart business planning.

Building your Database of Market Knowledge

Darlene Wolnik, Training and Technical Assistance Director for the Farmers Market Coalition will lead this session about collecting data and analyzing the numbers to build your market story and narrate the impact your market is making in the community, which in turn can expand outreach opportunities that will help grow our markets.

The How-To of Building SNAP Programs Now and for the Future

We are joined by Mallory Burnham of Cornell Cooperative Extension and Margaret O’Neill of the Rochester Public Market for a discussion of fortifying SNAP at your market and getting the most out of participating by targeting promotion efforts and creating strategies for outreach to customers and community partnerships.

The conference will also feature interactive networking opportunities to allow managers to share experiences, ideas, and challenges; a virtual tour of the Kriemhild Dairy farm, built-in fatigue breaks, and a virtual Happy Hour hosted by Jim Farr of the Rochester Public Market and featuring John Urlaub, owner of the Rohrbach Brewing Company in Rochester, NY. Together they will lead us to celebrate farmers markets and a successful conference.

You can view the full agenda here

The conference registration fee of $50 per person will cover the full conference, including access to presentation documents and recordings. Register now for the 2021 Farmers Market Managers Conference: “Reimagining Markets for a Brand New World”. All registrations and payments will be done online through Eventbrite. Once registered, you will receive an email with your unique links to all conference sessions.

Register for Conference 2021

For more information, contact the Farmers Market Federation of NY at deggert@nyfarmersmarket.com or call 315-400-1447.