Virginia Farmers Market Association

VAFMA 6th Annual Farmers Market Conference
2018-11-01 10:00 - 2018-11-02 16:30 UTC
VAFMA’s 6th Annual Farmers Market Conference will take place in the Capital Region, Richmond, VA. Please join us for 2 full days of learning, networking, and fun.

Visitor Count Week
2019-08-04 - 2019-08-10
During National Farmers Market Week — August 4 – 10, 2019 — farmers markets across Virginia will count their visitors. VAFMA will sum up the counts and publish the total.
Having a statewide count will give us all a better understanding of how many people Virginia’s farmers markets serve. Currently, there aren’t any statewide estimates of customers attending farmers markets. We chose Farmers Market Week to help everyone remember to participate.
Visitor counts are an easy way to get started in data collection and this packet explains how to do it.
All market managers who commit to participating in Visitor Count Week will receive our 2019 Social Media Content Calendar. In it we share special dates, marketing ideas & monthly tips to help you plan your farmers market promotions. Register today to download it.
Register for Visitor Count Week
Volunteer to Help Count
We appreciate your participation and are available to answer any questions you may have. Contact Mary Delicate for assistance.
How Visitor Count Week Got Started
Over the last decade, the Farmers Market Coalition has been building resources to help market operators and market partners trumpet the impacts made at the almost 9,000 locations across the U.S. Using the annual CSA signup day as inspiration, FMC introduced the idea of National Counting Week (NCW) to its networks where markets would count their attendance, and also undertake other counts on the same week of the year across the U.S.
National Farmers Market Week, held annually during the first full week of August, was chosen as the date of NCW, both to promote the active role that market operators undertake for their community, and to allow for data on that year’s NFMW attendance to be shared with market stakeholders such as the USDA.
In 2019, the Virginia Farmers Market Association (VAFMA) is holding the inaugural Visitor Count Week, highlighting the data-driven mindset of farmers market operators, encouraging volunteerism, and resulting in simple graphic-friendly numbers that are useful to a wide number of stakeholders to show the diverse effects of markets.

National & Virginia Farmers Market Week
2019-08-04 - 2019-08-10
National — and Virginia — Farmers Market Week is August 4 – 10, 2019. This week is for celebrating farmers markets and the significant contributions they make to their communities. This year, Governor Northam plans to officially proclaim “Virginia is for Farmers Market Lovers Week” during National Farmers Market Week.
VAFMA is calling on all Virginia farmers markets to count their visitors during this week for Visitor Count Week. More info here

Vendor Webinar Series 9/16 - 10/14
2019-09-16 12:00 - 13:00 | ONLINE
Join VAFMA and Virginia Cooperative Extension for a lunchtime webinar series. Mondays, 9/16/19 – 10/14/19 at noon

Market Vendor Lunchtime Webinar Series

7th Annual VA Farmers Market Conference
2019-11-13 - 2019-11-15 | Stonewall Jackson Hotel-Staunton, Virginia, 24 South Market Street, Staunton, VA, 24401, United States
Join us for the 7th Annual Virginia Farmers Market Conference
“Virginia is for Farmers Market Lovers”
November 13-15 in Staunton, VA
Our annual conference provides an opportunity for dynamic discussions, training, information exchange and peer networking between Virginia’s market managers and other food system stakeholders.
More Information

Virginia Industrial Hemp: Current and Future Regulatory Structure
2019-12-13 11:00 - 12:00
The 2018 Farm Bill legalized the commercial production and sale of industrial hemp. Virginia passed their Industrial Hemp Act in 2019 and the regulatory structure continues to change and evolve. As interest in hemp and hemp products grow, hear how both VDACS and the industry are respnding now and moving forward.

Marketing 101 Webinar
2019-12-18 12:00 - 13:00
Marketing 101:
Clarify Your Identity to Connect With Customers
In this webinar, participants will be guided through simple exercises to find clarity in their identity and branding and connect with their ideal customers. We’ll also cover common mistakes small businesses make in their identity and branding, and tips and tricks for marketing on a budget (including new resources not discussed at the VAFMA conference!)

Getting to Greener Webinar
2020-01-15 11:00 - 12:00
Getting to Greener Webinar
Farmers Markets are full of plastic bags, plastic utensils, clamshell packaging. At just one market in Fairfax County, shoppers use a conservative average of 100,000 single use plastic bags per season. There are over 25 Farmers Markets in the Northern Virginia Region every week. Several are year round and that is an unconscionable number of plastic bags considering the damage just one bag could do to a bale of cotton, or if ingested by livestock.
This session will showcase products and programs that Markets and Farmers can use instead of single use plastics and open the discussion up to creative ways Markets can market their sustainability and get even more customers (including eco-tourists!) who care about not just where the food comes from, but how they buy it.
About the Presenters
Jennifer Cole, Executive Director- Clean Fairfax
Jennifer Cole has been the Executive Director for Clean Fairfax since January 2009.
She served as the President of the Virginia Council on Litter Prevention and Recycling, a member of the Beekeepers Association of Northern Virginia, the Virginia Recycling Association, and serves on the County’s Trash Team, a task force made up of County agencies, regional authorities and non-profits working on keeping area streams and special places clean and litter-free. She is the 2018 recipient of the Fairfax County Environment Excellence Award. Before moving to Northern Virginia, Jen worked in Providence, Rhode Island developing and managing urban agriculture and community gardens, community forestry, and advocacy via environmental law.
She holds a Masters in Public Administration with an emphasis on Urban Environmental Policy from Norwich University and a Certification in Advanced Business Sustainability from the University of Vermont.
Zach Huntington, Clean Streams Program Manager- Clean Fairfax
Zach Huntington is a Virginia native and lifelong outdoorsman with a passion for clean water. He received his Bachelors of Science in Environmental Science with a concentration in Natural Resources and Conservation, and is currently pursuing an MBA with a concentration in Environmental Compliance and Sustainability.

Market Manager Certification Course
2020-01-24 10:00 - 2020-04-24 15:00 | ONLINE
A 14-week interactive, engaging, student-centered learning experience addressing real-world market issues. This certification program will train market managers in best practices on the following topics:

The Role of Market Manager
Market Rules, Policies, and Governance
Market Operations: Accounting, Sales & Expenses, SNAP
Conflict Management
Special Events: Planning
Marketing and Social Media
Grant Writing and Fundraising
Market Data & Reporting
Food Safety at the Market

Learn more here.

Farmers Market Liability Webinar
2020-02-25 11:00 - 12:00 | ONLINE
Riko Metzroth is a Richmond-based insurance agent and financial advisor who insures many different types of businesses through 9 states on the East Coast. On February 25 at 11:00 am (EST), Riko will review the risks faced by farmers market vendors and operators.

He will review examples of past claims, and how to insure against such claims. He will also cover the importance of operators insisting upon valid and active insurance certificates from each vendor.

Free Registration

VAFMA Coastal Region Meeting and Training
2020-03-11 11:00 - 14:00 | Chesapeake Central Library, 298 Cedar Road, Chesapeake, Virginia, 23322
Spring 2020 Season Kickoff!
The Virginia Farmers Market Association invites all Farmers Market Managers and Vendors in the Coastal Region to Join us for our 2020 Season Kickoff meeting and training!
This gathering is open to both members and non-members, free of charge. Bring a brown bag lunch if you wish.
WHEN: Wednesday, March 11, 11 am to 2 pm
WHERE: Chesapeake Central Library, 298 Cedar Road, Chesapeake, VA 23322
REGISTRATION: FREE but please register
Heather Wheeler from the VDACS Marketing Division will be presenting about the Virginia Grown and Virginia Finest Programs, as well as best practices for farmers market vendors.
We also have Courtney Mickiewicz from the VDACS Food Safety Division to speak about policies and compliance that both market managers and vendors should be aware of.
Additionally, we have some information about the Certified Naturally Grown program, which is gaining traction with small producers. Certifications include produce, mushrooms, livestock, apiary and aquaponics.
Our Executive Director, Dr. Kim Hutchinson, will also be there to tell you more about VAFMA and its initiatives and benefits. We hope to see you there!

Blue Ridge Farmers Market Vendor Training
2020-03-14 09:00 - 15:00 | Colab, 1327 Grandin Rd SW, Roanoke, VA, 24015, United States
The Virginia Farmers Market Association, LEAP for Local Food, Salem Farmers Market and Lynchburg Community Market are offering a regional farmers market vendor training March 14th in Roanoke.
This will be a day of networking, marketing training, resource sharing, and business planning. We’ll also hear some vendor success stories!
Peer-led presentations on:

Business Resources
Business Planning
Marketing for the Market
Success Stories

Registration is $10 and includes lunch
Please Register Here

Webinar: Food Safety and Handling at Farmers Markets
2020-03-16 11:00 - 12:30 | ONLINE
Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) Food Safety Program Overview and Food Handler Best Practices at the Farmers Market
March 16, 2020, 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM – Free Online Training
This presentation will provide an overview of producing food products to sell at the farmers market. It will cover when a food inspection is required, how to obtain an inspection, and the exemptions from inspection that are in the Virginia Food Laws. Additionally, it will also touch on the applicable laws and regulations, industrial hemp, and food labeling.
The presentation will also cover how to prevent selling contaminated foods at the market by 1) Fostering good health and hygiene practices, 2) Cleaning and prevention of cross contamination, 3) Holding hot/cold foods at proper temperatures, 4) Ensuring foods are cooked to the correct temperature, and 5) Ensuring foods sold originate from safe sources. Additionally, it covers some of Virginia Cooperative Extensions’s resources available for markets.
Free Registration

Webinar: Produce Safety Rule
2020-03-26 11:00 - 12:00 | ONLINE
The Produce Safety Rule, Exemptions and Market Requirements
March 26, 2020, 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM – Free Online Training
Free Registration Link

Webinar: Getting Your Market Open During COVID-19
2020-04-16 12:00 - 13:30 | ONLINE
Thursday, April 16th, 12:00pm – 1:30 pm
This VAFMA webinar will provide an update of the latest state operation requirements for Virginia’s farmers markets. We’ll answer your questions and provide examples to help you adjust the setup of your market.
Meredith Ledlie Johnson of Virginia Cooperative Extension will be with us to discuss using SNAP at markets during COVID-19. She’ll share how market managers are adjusting SNAP benefit sales to meet the current market guidelines.
Kim Hutchinson, Executive Director of VAFMA will explain how to work with your local officials to get your market open. Howard Herman of Falls Church Farmers Market will share his experience navigating the challenges he faced getting his market open.
Riko Metzroth of Farmers Insurance Financial Services will be with us to discuss general liability during COVID-19. He’ll also talk about two Small Business Administration Loans of interest to markets and their vendors.

COVID-19 Online Trainings
2020-04-23 12:00 - 14:00 | ONLINE
VAFMA is hosting two online training classes that will detail how 9 different markets are navigating this obstacle course.
In the trainings, you’ll hear from market managers at rural, urban and suburban markets; government run, private and non-profit markets. They will share their successes and lessons learned along with their communication strategies, signage, market rules, physical structure, social distancing practices, use of volunteers, payment methods and more.
VAFMA staff will summarize the recommendations and resources shared.
Registration for the trainings is limited. Recordings will be available.
Cost is $15 per person, per training
Registration

Infectious Disease Training for Farmers Markets
2020-11-10 18:00 - 22:00 | ONLINE
All Virginia businesses – including farmers markets, farms and market vendors — are now required to adhere to the new Statewide Emergency Workplace Safety Standards adopted by The Department of Labor and Industry’s Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) Program and the Virginia Safety and Health Codes Board in July 2020.
The standards require farmers markets to:

Create a check-in protocol for symptoms and exposure before each shift <all businesses>
Develop an infectious disease plan (deadline was 9/14/20) * (businesses with 11 or more employees)
Create a coronavirus 101 training for employees with a completion certificate offered at the end of the training (deadline was 8/14/20) <all businesses>

To assist farmers markets in complying with this mandate, VAFMA is offering a training class that will walk attendees through the steps of compliance. Harrisonburg City COVID-19 Response Coordinator, Paul Helmuth, will guide attendees through the requirements and how they apply to farmers markets.
Through this 4 hour class, participants will receive:

A certificate of completion
An infectious disease plan template along with training on how to customize it to fit your business
Education on and digital materials for training your employees
A link to a recording of the training

Infectious Disease Training for Farmers Markets
2021-01-05 18:00 - 22:00 | ONLINE
All Virginia businesses – including farmers markets, farms, and market vendors — are now required to adhere to the new Statewide Emergency Workplace Safety Standards adopted by The Department of Labor and Industry’s Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) Program and the Virginia Safety and Health Codes Board in July 2020.

The standards require organizations to:
1. Create a check-in protocol for symptoms and exposure before each shift <all businesses>
2. Develop an infectious disease plan (deadline was 9/14/20) <businesses with 11 or more employees>
3. Create a coronavirus 101 training for employees with a completion certificate offered at the end of the training (deadline was 8/14/20) <all businesses>

To assist farmers markets in complying with this mandate, VAFMA is offering a training class that will walk market managers through the steps of compliance. Harrisonburg City COVID-19 Response Coordinator, Paul Helmuth, will guide attendees through the requirements and how they apply to farmers markets.

Through this 4 hour class, participants will receive:
· A certificate of completion
· An infectious disease plan template along with training on how to customize it to fit your business
· Education on and digital materials for training your employees
· A link to a recording of the training

About the Instructor
Paul Helmuth is the Deputy Emergency Coordinator and has coordinated the COVID-19 response for the City of Harrisonburg.
Paul has spent 30 years in emergency services as a paramedic, firefighter and emergency manager. He has helped create plans for biological and terrorism responses for the last 19 years for both public and private responses including responses for anthrax, influenza, Ebola, and now COVID-19.

Cost & Registration
$150 for members
$225 for non-members

Virtual VA Farmers Market Conference
2021-01-07 08:00 - 17:00 | ONLINE
The Virginia Farmers Market Conference will be held January 7, 2021 ONLINE!
This full day event will focus on current issues faced by farmers markets. It will also address the new era of marketing. Details on topics and speakers will follow.

Mid-Atlantic Farmers Market Conference

Market Manager Certification Course
2021-01-22 - 2021-04-23 | ONLINE
Market Manager Certification Course
Fridays, Jan 22 – April 23, 2021

More details to come!

Farmers Market Preparedness Workshops
2021-01-28 13:00 - 15:00 | ONLINE
Demand for healthy local food is increasing in the Commonwealth. Of course, the difficulty of getting your products to customers has increased too.
VAFMA has teamed up with the VSU Small Farm Outreach Program to share strategies and approaches to selling at farmers markets in Virginia. This is a 4 workshop series focused on basic market preparedness, food safety, online/offline marketing, and online/virtual payment systems.
Free Registration at this link
YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR ZOOM MEETING LINK IN THE CONFIRMATION EMAIL. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE A LINK, PLEASE EMAIL smallfarm@vsu.edu
If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact the Small Farm Outreach Program office at smallfarm@vsu.edu or call (804) 524-3292 / TDD (800) 828-1120 during business hours of 8 am. and 5 p.m. to discuss accommodations five days prior to the event.

Farmers Market Preparedness - Part III Topic: Food Safety
2021-02-25 13:00 - 15:00 | ONLINE
In this Farmers Market Readiness workshop, we will provide an overview of food safety for farmers at the farmers’ market. It will cover when a food inspection is required, how to obtain an inspection, and the exemptions from inspection that are in the Virginia Food Laws. Additionally, it will also touch on the applicable laws and regulations, food labeling and packaging. The webinar will also discuss how to become VA Grown and VA finest designated. We will also hear from VDACS, VDH, Virginia Cooperative Extension, VA GROWN and VA FINEST.
For more information, contact Michael Carter, Jr. at (804) 691-0490 or micarter@vsu.edu.
YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR ZOOM MEETING LINK IN THE CONFIRMATION EMAIL. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE A LINK, PLEASE EMAIL smallfarm@vsu.edu
If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact the Small Farm Outreach Program office at smallfarm@vsu.edu or call (804) 524-3292 / TDD (800) 828-1120 during business hours of 8 am. and 5 p.m. to discuss accommodations five days prior to the event.

Infectious Disease Training for Farmers Markets
2021-03-02 18:00 - 21:00 | ONLINE
Farmers markets and farms (considered medium risk employers) are now required by the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry to train their employees (paid and unpaid) on the hazards and characteristics of the SARSCoV-2 virus and COVID-19 disease, safe and healthy work practices, personal protective equipment and other infectious disease topics.
Infectious disease plans are also required for Medium Risk Employers with 11 or more employees (paid and unpaid).
To assist farmers markets in complying with these mandates, VAFMA is offering a training class that walks attendees through the steps of compliance. Harrisonburg City COVID-19 Response Coordinator, Paul Helmuth, will guide attendees through the requirements and how they apply to farmers markets.
Through this class, participants will receive:
— A certificate of completion
— An infectious disease plan template along with training on how to customize it to fit your business
— Education on and digital materials for training your employees
— A link to a recording of the training
About the Instructor
Paul Helmuth is the Deputy Emergency Coordinator and has coordinated the COVID-19 response for the City of Harrisonburg.
Paul has spent 30 years in emergency services as a paramedic, firefighter and emergency manager. He has helped create plans for biological and terrorism responses for the last 19 years for both public and private responses including responses for anthrax, influenza, Ebola, and now COVID-19.
Cost & Registration
$150 for members
$225 for non-members
Registration

Farmers Market Preparedness - Part IV Topic: How to Tell Your Story
2021-03-11 13:00 - 15:00 | ONLINE
Virginia Cooperative Extension Small Farm Outreach Program at Virginia State University in conjunction with the Virginia Farmers Market Association will share how to craft and tell your farm story. You will learn about marketing/branding/social media. In addition, you will hear about different ways to market your business and what works and more importantly what hasn’t worked in this new market reality.
For more information, contact Michael Carter, Jr. at (804) 691-0490 or micarter@vsu.edu.
YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR ZOOM MEETING LINK IN THE CONFIRMATION EMAIL. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE A LINK, PLEASE EMAIL smallfarm@vsu.edu
If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact the Small Farm Outreach Program office at smallfarm@vsu.edu or call (804) 524-3292 / TDD (800) 828-1120 during business hours of 8 am. and 5 p.m. to discuss accommodations five days prior to the event.

Blue Ridge Region Meeting
2021-04-28 13:00 - 15:00 | ONLINE
VAFMA’s Blue Ridge Region Meeting. Contact Ricky Kowalewski for Zoom link.

Capital Region Meeting
2021-04-30 11:30 - 13:30 | ONLINE
In preparation for the 2021 market season, we are hosting a Capital Region Market Managers Meeting via Zoom on Friday, April 30th, beginning at 11:30 am. VAFMA’s Executive Director, Kim Hutchinson, will join us to share the very latest in VDACS’ COVID guidance and other important VAFMA news. We will not have a structured agenda, it will be an informal chat about the status of our markets, a discussion on market related issues and a chance to ask questions of each other. Feel free to email with specific topics you would like to discuss.
Contact Cappie and John Montgomery for Zoom link.

Blue Ridge Meeting
2021-07-21 13:00 - 15:00, 2021-10-27 13:00 - 15:00 | ONLINE
Contact Ricky Kowalewski for details

Virginia Agritourism Conference
2021-10-18 - 2021-10-21 | ONLINE
2021 Virginia Agritourism Conference
Base Camp: Exploring the Trails, Agritourism, and Downtown Ecosystem

Agritourism Conference

Market Manager Certification Program
2022-01-21 10:00 - 2022-04-21 12:00 | ONLINE
