9 – 9:15 a.m.

Welcome & Logistics

Welcome & Logistics

9:15 – 10:15 a.m.

Record Year For Food Security

at MN Farmers' Markets 

Markets across MN did their best to address food security in their communities in 2022. From the Marshall FM collaboration with SMSU students to the annual Market Bucks report for the outdoor FM season, listen to the numbers and hear the stories.

Jill Westfall, Peter Woitock, Hunger Solutions Minnesota

Kim Guenther, MFMA

Tackling The 2022 Issues -

Time to Network!

Join in as we 'crowd source' answers to a list of issues that came into MFMA inboxes & voice mails: too $#@! many dogs / bites / fights; bad wind events; handling non-compliant (not legal) vendors; balancing zero waste packaging while protecting vendors from food safety issues; disturbances at markets; blocking / removing hurtful social media posts, edible THCs, and so many more.  This session will be a virtual round circle gathering as we share experiences, what worked, what didn't, and support each other.

10:15 – 10:20 a.m.

Break & Door Prize: $50 Gift Certificate MN Cooks Restaurant #1

Break & Door Prize: Market Flag from ProGraphics

Manage My Market

Whether you're a volunteer manager or paid staff, learn how automating your market can save you money & time, help your shoppers find what vendors are selling per market day,  create your vendor map - and more.

Staci DeShasier from Manage My Market

Tune Up Time For Managers

Lots of new rules, many overlooked old ones provides a perfect opportunity for us to review MFMA's Quick Reference Guide so markets can enter 2023 in the compliance lane. Sign up for a free training from MFMA to zoom into your market's vendor training meeting in 2023.

By MFMA Staff

11:20 – 11:25 a.m.

Break & Door Prize: 1 Year FREE subscription to Manage My Market

Door Prize: $50 Gift Certificate MN Cooks Restaurant #3

11:25 a.m. – 12:25 p.m.

Re-Assessing Your Market

Through an Anti-Racist Lens

Keynote by Karla Forrest-Hewitt

and Stacey Whitney

Join us for an important look and discussion about the FMC Anti-Racist Farmers' Market Toolkit, its context, what drives these two professionals to do this work, and what they hope the toolkit provides for all of us.   

There Are No Farmers' Markets

Without Farmers

Farmers don't last long if they aren't profitable. And farmers can't be profitable if they don't embrace recordkeeping & financials. Learn from a myriad of sources about numerous resources - all housed under something we're calling our "Farm Finance Resources Collaborative." And then pass this along to all your farmer vendors!

Jenny Heck, MDA RFA

Erik Heimark, CLC FBM

Dan Zimmerli, MN SFA 

12:25 – 12:55 p.m.

LUNCH

LUNCH

Door Prize: $50 Gift Certificate MN Cooks Restaurant #2

12:56 – 1:55 p.m.

Keynote Follow Up Exercise

Karla & Stacey will lead us through an exercise as we apply an anti-racist lens to our own farmers' markets.

MarketWurks

The last of the 3 popular market management software platforms for you to review.  MarketWurks is now used by farmers' markets in 6 countries and counting, saving market managers countless hours of work each week.

Chris Quinlan, co-founder and CEO of MarketWurks

Break & Door Prize: 1 Year FREE subscription to MarketWurks

2:10 – 3:10 p.m.

MFMA Annual Report

Join MFMA Staff and Board of Directors as we look back at 2022 ... 

• 1st ever all-inclusive map of all MN FMs so shoppers can find you - yay!
• 1st ever insurance claim  - boo!
• 123 farmers' markets in FM360 - yay!
• Jesse Davis finally resigned - boo!

• New trainings for markets & vendors - yay!
• New Board of Directors - yay!
• Best VISTA ever Maeve Mallozzi-Kelly leaves us in February - boo!
• Need to secure funding for Market Bucks - we'll need your help!
• Insurance rate falls for produce vendors, raises for everyone else -yay / boo!

And so much more - tune in!

Considering a Hub For Your Market?

Five years into this business venture, learn from experienced farmers' market hubs, brand new hubs, SHIP support, and the leadership team, about the potential for growth and the ongoing support needed to build up Minnesota's local foodshed, one farmers' market food hub at a time. 

With the millions of dollars of federal money entering MN for local food systems in the next few years, farmers' market hubs are in a shovel ready position to grow their farmers / increase sales to more old & new buyers.

• Allison Rian, Aitkin
• Wililyn Dowell, Grand Rapids
• Chris Allen, Rochester
• Bjorn Solberg, Moorhead
• Tina Moen, Wabasha County SHIP Coordinator
• Jane Jewett, Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture
• Sara George, Renewing The Countryside
• https://www.farmersmarkethub.org/

3:10 – 3:15 p.m.

Break & Door Prize: $50 Gift Certificate to North Circle Seeds

Farmspread

Farmspread is the sister platform to Marketspread, the software that powers our awesome map of 352 MN farmers' markets! Find out how you can use Farmspread to automate your market management to save time and money, while increasing shoppers & sales.

Blake Rouse, co-founder of Farmspread

 FM360

Some say stories are a powerful way to educate; but even more powerful is the combination of data + stories. FM360, Minnesota's own farmers' market metrics project,  has collected 6 years of data from 123 farmers' markets - and is amassing significant intel on the economic impact of farmers' markets in MN's local foodshed. BUT MORE IS NEEDED. FM360 Lead Joe Nowak from UMN will explain the project; Minnesota Grown Program Manager Mallory Forseth will offer a special introduction.

3:55 – 4:00 p.m.

Door Prize: 1 Year FREE subscription to Farmspread!

Announcements for tomorrow

Door Prize: Free FM360 for a Market in 2023

Final thoughts