Virginia is for Farmers Market Lovers Table Cover!

Enhance your farmers market display with a 6-foot black table cover featuring the “Virginia is for Farmers Market Lovers” logo. $300 each.

Visit the VAFMA Store to order. VAFMA Members get at 10% discount. If you haven’t received the code, please contact us.

Farmers Market Shopper Survey

View your shoppers data in real time

VAFMA Board President, Dr. Omar Faison of Virginia State University, is leading an effort to collect farmers market customer data. This will give all of us — you included — a better understanding of market shoppers.

We’re asking you to help us share our farmers market survey at your market. You will have immediate access to the responses across the state as they come in.

The survey allows us to get information about the demographics of people who are attending the markets, how they found out about it, what they are interested in buying, what brought them there, how often they attend as well as their purchasing activity.

Please download and display the signs here at your market. Encourage shoppers to use the QR code to access the Google Forms survey. And then check out the data on your market.

If you have any questions, feel free to email Dr. Omar Faison.

The survey link is: https://bit.ly/vafma_visitor_survey

Signage for the markets is here: https://bit.ly/vafma_survey_folder

A video providing guidance on the survey and contents of the folder is here: https://youtu.be/tZxTtLEAmv0

New Requirements for Hemp/CBD Vendors in Effect
$10,000 per violation per day for the illegal sale of non-compliant edible hemp products

The 2023 Session of the General Assembly passed legislation that amended the Code of Virginia to establish new requirements for certain hemp-derived products.

VDACS staff are inspecting businesses around the Commonwealth and issuing civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation per day for the illegal sale of non-compliant edible hemp products.

Amendments include:

• When offered for retail sale, a hemp product may not exceed 0.3 percent total tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and may not have more than two milligrams of total THC per package unless the product’s cannabidiol (CBD) to THC ratio is at least 25 parts CBD for every one part THC. “Total THC” means all of the THC in a product, including delta-8 THC, delta-9 THC, and other THC isomers.
• Any person who intends to manufacture, sell, or offer for sale a substance intended to be consumed orally that contains an industrial hemp-derived cannabinoid must submit an Edible Hemp Products Disclosure Form.
• Edible hemp products that contain THC must be in child-resistant packaging.
• Edible hemp products must bear a label with specific information and be accompanied by a certificate of analysis produced by an independent, accredited laboratory. Retailers must have the laboratory’s certificate of accreditation available for review.
• Topical hemp products must bear a label that states that the product is not intended for human consumption.
• A substance intended for human consumption, orally or by inhalation, that contains a synthetic derivative of THC may not be sold.
• Amendments establishing a regulated hemp product retail facility registration program to be administered by VDACS will become effective once VDACS develops this new registration program. The establishment of this program is dependent upon multiple factors, including the agency’s ability to hire new staff and develop the systems needed for the efficient operation of this program.  At this time, VDACS is not able to estimate when this program will be established.

For more information, please visit VDACS’s hemp product enforcement webpage.

Save the Date: VAFMA Membership Meeting November 8, 2023

VAFMA’s 2023 Membership Meeting & Board Election will be November 8th from 10am to 12pm via Zoom. This is a members-only meeting.

During this online meeting, we will review 2023 and share our plans for 2024 and beyond — including the Virginia Certified Farmers Market Program, Market Manager Certification 201 and more!

First Annual VABF-SFOP Summit!
Save the Dates: January 19-21, 2024 in Roanoke, VA

This inaugural summit brings together the Annual Virginia Biological Farming Conference and the VSU Small Farm Outreach Program Annual Conference into one dynamic weekend!

This three-day event includes:
* Full & Half Day Pre-Conference Intensive Workshops
* 50+ Sessions, Workshops, Presentations, & Panel Discussions
* 40+ Trade Show Exhibitors
* Locally Sourced Farm Meals
* Taste of Virginia Expo & Social
* Networking Opportunities
* Book Signings
* Silent Auction
* Farm Tour
* SFOP Annual Awards

When: Friday, January 19th (Pre-Conference)
Saturday – Sunday, January 20th – 21st (Conference)

Where: Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center, Roanoke, VA

For more information contact Catherine Bolling or Cartelius Travis

Download Posters to Promote Senior & WIC Vouchers

Created by Dr. Theresa Nartea of VSU

Dr. Theresa Nartea of Virginia State University & Virginia Cooperative Extension created three posters to help farmers markets promote the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program.

If you have farms accepting these programs, download and print these posters from the links below:

We Proudly Accept SFMNP

Spend Five and Thrive

Senior & WIC FAQs