Industry Newsletter from Mass Farmers Markets

MFM News

MFM's 2025 Managed Market Applications are OPEN!

For more information, click here.

Find vendors for this upcoming season!

Mass Farmers Markets and SBN’s Local Food Program are proud to collaborate on a project to bring together farmers markets and vendors looking to sell at farmers markets in the summer 2025 market season! We're compiling two lists - one with farmers markets and one with vendors - with all the information they'll need to find each other so that shoppers can experience the best in local food this summer. Find the lists here: Connecting Farmers Markets and Vendors.

Want to be included on these lists? Click on the links below:

Vendors looking to sell at farmers markets

Farmers markets looking for vendors

Please feel free to forward this information to your vendors, so they can be listed and have a full and successful market season!

Market Managers: Join MFM as a Member Market in 2025!

Mass Farmers Markets is here to support all farmers markets across the state.

But, markets that join MFM as a Member Market get additional benefits and support:

• Discounts on liability insurance
• An extensive library of resources, including information on food access programs, legal issues, fundraising and grants, marketing and more 
• Grant, marketing, and other opportunities available only to MFM members
• Discounts on Constant Contact, Manage My Market, and Marketspread
• Free membership to Farmers Market Coalition (a $40 value)
• And more!

Just as importantly, you’ll be supporting Mass Farmers Market in its statewide work supporting and advocating for farmers markets. Mass Farmers Markets works year-round to support ALL Massachusetts farmers markets. Among our many initiatives:

• Regular Market Manager Zoom Calls
• Annual Farmers Market Conference
• Research and write-ups on topics affecting farmers markets
• Development of lists of farmers market and vendors
• Promotion of Massachusetts farmers markets through print and radio ads, our interactive map, and presence at events
• Administration of the Senior and WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program Coupon program
• Advocacy for farmers markets with lawmakers and state agencies

Check out the benefits of membership, and join or renew for 2025, by clicking the button below.

Eat Fresh Coupon Program

Mass Farmers Markets' Eat Fresh Coupon Program is a program that allows businesses, health care providers and wellness programs to provide coupons that can be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at any local farmers market. The program is modeled after FMNP WIC and Senior coupons. Coupons can be used by shoppers to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, honey, cut herbs and herb plants, and are redeemed directly with farmers. Like FMNP coupons, Eat Fresh coupons expire on October 31st. Should shoppers ask where they can use their Eat Fresh coupons, please direct them to any farmer that takes WIC and Senior coupons.

MFM has designed the Eat Fresh program to allow sponsoring organizations such as businesses, municipalities and wellness providers to provide access to fresh local produce for their constituents. This could act as an employee benefit, wellness program, customer appreciation program, or more. If you know of any organizations that would be interested in providing this benefit to their constituents next year (making more money available to be spent at farmers markets!), please refer them to our website: Mass Farmers Markets Eat Fresh Coupon Program, or email eatfresh@massfarmersmarkets.org.

Industry News

The Campaign for HIP Funding

A new supplemental budget, HD.4540, has been filed by the Governor. While it does not include funding for HIP, it does include funding to transition the SNAP caseload to chip cards, which would significantly strengthen security (as many of you know, there has been a large increase in theft of SNAP benefits; if someone's entire SNAP benefit is stolen, they can't access HIP).

The next step in the process is the review of the supplemental budget by the House Ways and Means Committee. In the meantime, we must continue to advocate for additional HIP funding for FY25. Please continue reaching out to your state representatives, reminding them that we need their active support.

For more information, and to be kept up to date, visit the Campaign for HIP Funding. Please reach out to Becca Miller (rebecca@mafoodsystem.org) at the MA Food System Collaborative if you have any questions.

EBT Processor and TotilPay Updates

On April 27th, the MA Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) will be transitioning its EBT (SNAP and HIP) processor from Conduent to FIS. Clients will not be able to use their EBT cards to access their benefits between 11 p.m. on April 26, and mid-day on April 27. Find more information on the changeover on DTA’s website: EBT Vendor Change: Important Information.

Along with this change, there are new equipment options available, as well as actions that markets may need to take. Keep an eye out for emails from DTA which will detail your options and required actions, depending on your current equipment and whether you take HIP or not.  

Separately, the TotilPay app and MarketLink are now both part of a new nonprofit, Farmers Food Assistance Bureau. There should be no changes to the functioning of TotilPay, and MarketLink will continue to support farmers markets in becoming authorized as a SNAP retailer and providing grants for equipment and service.

HIP Enhancements

Based on feedback from HIP vendors, including farmers markets, there are a number of exciting changes coming to how HIP is processed!

On April 27th (concurrent with the change to the new EBT processor described above), it will be possible to process HIP returns. 

The following changes are forthcoming, though there is no exact ETA:

• HIP-Enabled merchants will be able to check HIP available using SNAP Balance Inquiry. It will show: SNAP balance, HIP Available this Month, and HIP Used this month.
• When shoppers call DTA to access their SNAP balance, the script has been updated to more clearly state the amount of HIP used and HIP remaining for the month.
• SNAP receipts will more clearly show HIP used and HIP remaining for the month.
• Single swipe! HIP users will be able to access their entire HIP balance with a single swipe, regardless of their SNAP balance, so long as the SNAP balance is greater than zero. 

DTA (and MFM) will notify about these changes when they are available.

Re-certify for the Farmers Market Nutrition Program

All Massachusetts farmers markets must re-certify with MDAR in 2025 in order to be a location where FMNP coupons can be accepted. Find out more information, including information you’ll need to re-certify, here: Farmers Market Nutrition Program 2025 Season Updates. The deadline for recertification is May 15, 2025.

Grant Opportunities

Mass Cultural Council: Creative Experience Grants

The Creative Experiences grant program provides grants to organizations to fund festivals, projects, and other cultural activities in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences. It will award one-year grants of $2,500 or $5,000 for activities taking place between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. Anyone interested can review the program guidelines online.

Application Opens: March 4, 2025

Info Session: March 13, 2025

Application Deadline: April 30, 2025 at 11:59pm (ET)

Notification to Applicants: Fall 2025

Food Safety Brochures Available from USDA

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service has free brochures available that spotlight food safety during weather emergencies. If you would like a supply for your farmers market, email Jesus Garcia at jesus.garcia3@usda.gov. Please let him know if you would like 100 or 200 copies in English and/or Spanish  (while supplies last).

• How long can my refrigerated food stay safe after a power outage?
• Can I store food outside during winter weather if the refrigerator power goes out?
• Should I throw away packaged food that was submerged in flood water?
• What kitchen items should I throw after a house fire?

Extreme weather events and power outages put the safety of food at risk, and nobody wants to be sick after an emergency. The tips found in this brochure will help folks understand the basics of food safety during emergencies, including…

• How to prepare ahead of time to minimize the loss of food.
• What actions to take during an emergency to prolong safety.
• How to determine the safety of food after events like power loss, floods, or wildfires



Food Security Infrastructure Grant (FSIG) Program

The FSIG provides funding for projects that ensure that farmers, fishermen, and other local food producers are better connected to a strong, resilient food system while providing greater, more equitable access to local food. FY26 awards will range from $10,000 - $1,000,000. Applicants selected for funding are provided with reimbursement grants and are required to contribute a 20% cash match.

• Applications must be submitted online to MDAR by 4:00PM on Monday May 5, 2025. 
• A recorded webinar is available to watch here.
• Questions must be submitted by email to FSIGGrant@mass.gov by 4:00PM on Monday April 14, 2025.

Interested in Being a Summer Eats Site?

On March 17th, the state published a press release on the 2025 Summer Eats Program. Summer Eats provides children 18 years of age and younger with free, nutritious meals over the summer months when they no longer have access to school meals. Summer Eats is administered by sponsors throughout the state at distribution sites.

Project Bread has partnered with the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture (MDAR) to support the administration of the 2025 Summer Eats program. MDAR and Project Bread are looking for more sponsors to act as distribution sites. If you are interested in expanding access to healthy, locally sourced meals, please contact Project Bread by calling 617-239-2543 or emailing the Child Nutrition Outreach Team at cnop@projectbread.org. To learn more about Summer Eats you can find the press release here or more information on Project Breads website.

Thank You Peg!

On Saturday March 15th, Peg Mallet retired as the market manager of the Wayland Farmers Market after 21 years.

Michael Docter, longtime vendor formerly of Winter Moon Roots, and friend, shared the following sentiment honoring Peg:

"If you ask any farmers or any vendor or any shopper that has ever attended any other markets anywhere... They will tell you - The Wayland Winter Market is the best market you would ever want to attend.

And it was not the best market simply because it had the highest number of shoppers (it did)

And it was not the best market simply because it was the most profitable market (it was)

And it was not the best market simply because it always had the right vendor mix (which it did)

And it was not the best market simply because the vendors were diverse, interesting and creative (they were)

It was the best market because it had the Best Market Manager. We all know that it was the "Peggums Factor" that made this market so special.

Peg took care of everybody. She always figured out what each vendor needed and she worked tirelessly to make it happen. The simple gesture of offering vendors a table on site, so that they did not have to bring their own table each week was emblematic of the kind of hospitality we experienced every moment we were at Russell Garden Center.

Peg got to the market at the crack of dawn to make sure everybody would have exactly what they needed. During the week, Peg sacrificed hours and hours and hours of her life to the banality of social media, just to make sure that 1000s of people knew about each market. Peg knew each and every one of us who participated in the market, and she became out friend. She cared deeply about everybody and treated everybody with incredible respect.

AND THEN THERE WERE THE PEGGUM PHOTOGRAPHS. Peg captured the very essence of a person in every one of her photos. How was it that she was able to do this every single time she snapped the shutter? Each of her pictures tells a complete story of a person in a single shot. She was able to do this because she got to know each and every one of us as a friend.

Peg, we will miss you as a market manager. But we are forever grateful to be your friend. And we hope to be your friends forever.

Thank you for enriching our lives and for gifting us and our community with the Wayland Winter Market."

Upcoming Events

2nd Annual Rhythm N' Spice Hot Sauce Fest!

🌶️ Saturday, May 3, 2025

📍The Cambridge Foundry – Kendall Square, Cambridge

Ready to turn up the heat? Join us for a spicy celebration of global hot sauces, fiery challenges, and non-stop entertainment!

How to Elevate Your Farmers Market with Professional Marketing

Apr 23, 2025 01:00 PM EST

Want to attract more customers and better support your vendors? Join Taste the Local Difference for a free webinar designed for farmers market managers. We’ll cover how branding, marketing strategy, and optimized vendor booths can enhance your market’s success. Plus, we’ll share real examples and provide actionable tips to make marketing easier for you and your vendors. Don’t miss this chance to take your market’s marketing to the next level!

Secure your spot here!

About Mass Farmers Markets

For 45 years, MFM's been 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.