Monthly Seasonal Newsletter from Mass Farmers Markets

News and Updates

MFM celebrates 45 years! Read more about our founding and what we've accomplished in our almost half century of growing farmers markets across the state.

Our anniversary was recognized by Governor Healey!

Read the Press Release

38th Annual Massachusetts Tomato Contest

August 23, 2023 - It's been a tough year for Massachusetts farmers. But in spite of heavy rains and catastrophic flooding, the cream of the tomato crop was glistening in the August sun....

Read more and see the full list of this year's winners.

Some Good News! 100 Massachusetts Farms will each receive $10,000 in resiliency funds

August 25, 2023 - In an effort led by the Healey administration and United Way of Central Massachusetts, approximately 100 Pioneer Valley farms affected by July's devastating floods are set to receive $10,000 each from the Massachusetts Farm Resiliency Fund. This initiative aims to provide immediate relief to farmers facing significant losses due to the flooding, offering a lifeline during these challenging times. Read more about this initiative.

Want to contribute to the Massachusetts Farm Resiliency Fund? You can donate via United Way.

We need your help! Seeking volunteers for the Big E State Fair.

Join us at the Big E State Fair and help make it an unforgettable experience! Mass Farmers Markets will be showcasing Massachusetts farmers and small businesses at the Massachusetts Building, and we need dedicated volunteers from September 15th to October 1st to work a 4.5-hour shift at our booth. In return, you'll receive a ticket to the Big E and a parking pass for your shift day. Join our amazing team, have a blast, and support our mission of growing and supporting farmers markets in Massachusetts since 1978. Sign up today and be part of the fun while making a difference.

News from MDAR

Natural Disaster Recovery Program for Agriculture Now Open for Applications

MDAR has launched the Natural Disaster Recovery Program for Agriculture, a financial assistance program for farmers who have suffered crop losses from certain natural disasters that have occurred in 2023. The program is funded through a $20 million appropriation from the Massachusetts legislature and Governor Healey. The application process is now open, and farmers are invited to apply.

MDAR Language Services at Farmers Markets

Thank you to all who responded to our survey “Language Services at Farmers Markets”. We wanted to share some key highlights of the received responses:

Out of 56 respondents, 77% reported that they found difficulty communicating with a customer due to a language barrier. 41% reported this barrier happening frequently and 46% reported it happening occasionally.
The top language that respondents reported customers speaking was Spanish, followed by Portuguese, Mandarin, and Russian.
Market managers and market vendors have already devised a number of ways to prevent language barriers, including the use of translator apps, presence of multilingual staff, having translated printed materials on hand, and much more.

We greatly appreciate you taking the time to provide us with this important information. MDAR plans to use these findings to strategically analyze language access at farmers markets and to plan for future initiatives. For more information on our Environmental Justice Initiatives, including Language Access, please contact Olivia.Palmer@Mass.gov.

Reminder for 2023 FMNP Farmers Market Members

The 2023 Farmers Market Nutritional Program Coupon (FMNP) Instructional Mailing was sent out to participating farmers. Please refer our website for more information. New Market Managers need to go through the training provided by MDAR; a video can be found here. All returning Market Managers should read through this slide deck to keep updated on the latest program updates.

Below is the schedule for coupon submission and processing. Please reach out to coupons@massfarmersmarkets.org with any questions.

Farm Credit East Awards $37,000 to Massachusetts Farmers’ Markets

August 7, 2023 - Farm Credit East Farmers' markets serve as essential channels for producers in the Northeast to market and sell their agricultural products while fostering direct connections with consumers. To bolster this vital marketing initiative, Farm Credit East is delighted to have distributed grants during the summer, with a focus on supporting 71 markets in Massachusetts, where $37,000 in grant funding was allocated.

Other News & What We're Reading

Check out photos from the 2023 National Farmers Market Week at MFM markets.
Boston Globe article: Farmers Markets are Struggling. Can they market themselves differently?
NPR article: Prescriptions for fresh fruits and vegetables help boost heart health

MFM Membership

Market Managers: have you renewed your MFM membership for 2023?

Please go here to renew or join as a new member.

Member Benefits include:

Fiscal Sponsorship, Access to Group Liability Coverage, Support & Assistance, Biweekly Members Meeting, Speaker Series, Market Managers Conference, Promotion & Marketing Support, Farmspread Marketing, WBUR Advertising, Discounted Constant Contact Email Marketing Services, FREE Annual membership to Farmers Market Coalition, Attendance and Voting rights at our Annual Meeting, Vendor Job Search Assistance, Fundraising through Car Donation, and Google Ads for your market

MFM's Statewide Market Managers Forum

Members, make sure to join our forum that provides valuable discussions, notifications and resources. Email Rick Grudzinski, MFM's director of Member Services, at memberservices@massfarmersmarkets.org to join.

Review your profile on Marketspread and make updates

Send us your special events to add to our calendar

Send us your photos so we can promote you through our channels

Marketspread (formerly Farmspread) makes finding farmers markets easy for customers across the state.

Market Managers: set up or update your profile to drive traffic to your market.

Vendors: keep shoppers updated on seasonal or weekly offerings, connect your website and social channels.

We have created a private online space via Basecamp for member markets to collaborate, share ideas and resources, ask questions, and support each other. If you haven't joined us yet, please email us and we'll get you set up.

About Mass Farmers Markets

2023 marks MFM's 45th year working on behalf of farmers markets throughout the state. We help create, sustain, and promote farmers markets and the many benefits they bring. We help connect more individuals to local and healthy food through farmers markets systems. At the core of MFM's mission, we support social and economic development and the health of individuals statewide - collaborating extensively with community partners and other stakeholders

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