In the five years between the 2002 Farm Bill and the upcoming 2007 Farm Bill, over 1,000 new farmers markets have opened in the United States, bringing the total number of markets operating to over 4,300. With this dramatic rise has come more retail marketing opportunities for family farms as well as increased access to fresh, healthy, local produce for our communities. Less thought about, but equally important are the benefits brought about by markets for bridging the urban and rural divide, and creating and activating public spaces, leading to increased neighborhood interaction.

Interestingly, many farmers markets are now becoming the entry point for cities and towns to discuss and implement a food systems plan. While this is an exciting venture for markets, it is also a great burden to bear for the organizations that support their operations and coordination, many of which operate on shoe-string budgets. Though the current capacity of farmers markets is already stretched thin in the day-to-day operations of the markets, more than ever markets are being asked to participate and help solve our country's health and obesity problems. We foresee this growth and support for markets continuing, but for markets to truly thrive, several issues must first be addressed and supported in the 2007 Farm Bill. They are:

• Continued support for WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program;
• Increased funding for the USDA FMPP grant program;
• Federal policy and technical assistance for EBT/Food Stamps at markets; and
• Capacity building and USDA support for state farmers market associations.

Continued Support for WIC & Senior FMNP:

The Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) is the most important federally funded program for farmers markets. The program builds healthy communities, nutritionally supports seniors and WIC families, and provides much needed revenue for farmers. With rates of obesity, diabetes and heart disease on the rise, it is of great importance that our country's most vulnerable citizens - seniors, pregnant and nursing women, and children under the age 5 - have access to healthy produce and fruit. FMNP also allows market operators to open new locations in low-income communities by ensuring farmers a steady stream of income. With the increased number of farmers markets operating in low-income communities, customers not only have healthy food alternatives to choose from, but also benefit from having a safe, social gathering space.

In our work with dozens of farmers market programs throughout the country, we have seen just how necessary funding for FMNP is to ensure a successful farmers market. Paramount to the success of FMNP is the creation of partnerships between markets and WIC offices, senior centers and health care operators. During the 2006 market season, the Mount Vernon Farmers Market in Skagit County, Washington invited a neighborhood group and county health department to not only promote FMNP to their clients, but also distribute the FMNP checks at the market. In doing so, they saw a redemption increase of 71% in 2006 up from 61% in 2005. We need increased support from the federal government for FMNP because without this vital program farmers will lose revenue and customers will lose access to healthy produce.

Increased Funding for USDA's Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP):

The USDA's Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) started its grant giving in 2006 with $1 million in funding going to farmers markets and organizations throughout the country. Much good will come from these funded projects, but we believe that much more can and needs to be accomplished with an increase of funding to $20 million. In addition to increased funding, which would obviously benefit more markets, we believe FMPP should stress the importance that partnership building plays in market sustainability, sales and community impacts, as well as increase support for capacity building within market organizations.

Strong working relationships and partnerships between markets and others, such as city governments, health agencies, schools, and community groups spreads the responsibility and ultimately the mission of creating a healthy food system in all of our neighborhoods. For many of PPS' market grantees, focusing on partnerships rather than just advertising and marketing brought them more revenue and attendance, especially among low-income communities. The Allen Street Farmers Market in Lansing, MI worked with Michigan State University and the Komen Foundation to create two booths within their market devoted to fresh food preparation and information on cancer-fighting foods. With their local health department the market also hosted lead testing for children and paired this effort with gift certificates for fruits and vegetables. These partnerships and events brought more families to their market, and more importantly it drew a more diverse (in economics, age and ethnicity) population to the market. Increased funding and a wider scope for FMPP could result in markets, such as Allen Street, creating more innovative approaches for attracting more customers while also providing additional benefits for the community.

For more information on the USDA's Farmers Market Promotion Program visit:

www.usda.gov

Technical Support and Assistance for EBT/Food Stamps at Farmers Markets:

When the Farm Bill-funded Food Stamp Program went electronic in 1999, participants were promised the advantages of a smoother functioning system, but they were also cut out of using their nutrition benefits at their local farmers markets. As cities and towns increasingly realize that fresh, local food from family farmers is key to creating healthy residents of all income groups farmers markets are being asked to play a lead role. Over the past several years many markets have begun pilot programs to accept Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT), formally known as food stamps. While there are many technological obstacles to these programs, which are already known by many in the field, there are less obvious but equally impeding barriers to success, such as promotions and outreach, as well as massive amounts of staff time both to administer and troubleshoot the program.

There are no easy solutions for accepting EBT at farmers markets, but there are some positive signs that, with greater support for innovative ideas, markets could reach a point where an EBT program could not only be sustainable, but tremendously beneficial for consumers, market operators, and farmers alike. One positive story comes out of the Lynn Farmers Market in Lynn, MA. In Lynn, the Food Project - North Shore, the market's operators, ran a special promotion for EBT customers to entice them to use their benefits at the market. In partnership with a local anti-hunger organization they offered all EBT customers a dollar for dollar match in fresh produce up to $5.00. For example, if a customer spent $2.50 of their EBT benefits on produce at the market they received an extra $2.50 in produce. During the two months that the market ran the promotion they saw 81% of their total season's EBT sales. While this is a success story which should be praised and possibly modeled by other markets it also points to the fact that for EBT to succeed in farmers markets creative thinking and monetary support must be provided at the local, state and federal level. A federally-funded EBT coordinator that provides training, technical assistance and support for farmers market to start or improve EBT programs at their markets would be a huge start.

Capacity Building and Support for State Farmers Market Associations:

There are currently about 15 state-wide farmers market associations in the country. Each of these associations was founded with the intention of supporting and encouraging the growth of farmers markets within their state. Some associations are run by volunteers, others may have a staff person or two, but all of them are attempting to support the rapidly growing number of farmers markets with very little monetary or policy support. We would like to see this change. As the importance of markets to farmers and communities grows, so grows the importance of and need for state associations. While these associations are in some cases servicing markets by providing joint liability insurance and technical support for EBT, with support from the USDA, they could also be the key to building the capacity of markets at a broad state-wide level.

Through our own work supporting several state associations, PPS has seen first-hand how difficult, yet important their work is in addressing the needs of markets and farmers. In a short period of time we have seen the Michigan Farmers' Market Association grow from an idea to an organization that promotes Michigan-grown food and local farmers on a state-wide level, as well as the 150-plus farmers markets in the state. In less than a year this association has attended over 60 events, including Ag Day at the Capital which drew over 350 people, in order to promote their work and bring attention to the needs of Michigan agriculture. This assembly of support for market operators is the only way their needs will reach a larger audience and create sound policy supporting the local agricultural economy and advancement of a local food system.