How It Works

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) and the Virginia Farmers Market Association (VAFMA) are pleased to announce their partnership in recognizing National Farmers Market Week in the Commonwealth. National Farmers Market Week is August 2-8, 2020 and to celebrate the importance of the farmers markets in providing fresh and locally grown produce and products to their communities, VDACS and VAFMA are excited to announce the 2020 Virginia Farmers Market Week theme – Farmers Markets Are Local Food Superheroes!

During the celebration of Farmers Market Week (August 2-8, 2020), market managers and market staff are encouraged to decorate their market manager booth or drive-thru market pick-up booth in a manner that celebrates the local food superhero theme. If a market is not currently open to the public (for example, doing online orders only), managers and staff are still encouraged to participate by creating a display in any area that adheres to COVID-19 guidelines (for example, a yard or area that allows for proper social distancing).

Market managers will take a picture of the booth once it is complete and submit the picture to the Virginia Farmers Market Association and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for a statewide photo contest which will be hosted on Facebook.

Winners will be determined, in each of the eight VAFMA regions, based on the number of Facebook likes the photos receive during the contest. And the winning market in each region will receive a Virginia Grown/Virginia Finest gift basket and Virginia is for Farmers Market Lovers swag.

To Participate

  1. Make sure your market details are up to date on VirginiaGrown.com and Farmspread.com (populates directory on VAFMA.org). We want to share accurate information about your market!
  2. During the week of August 2-8, 2020, create a display at your market manager booth or drive-thru market pick-up booth that celebrates your market and this year’s theme – “Farmers Markets Are Local Food Superheroes!” Be sure to incorporate the Virginia Grown logo and the Virginia is For Farmers Market Lovers Logo into your design.
  3. Snap a photo of your display and email it to the Virginia Farmers Market Association (VAFMA) at info@vafma.org by Sunday, August 9, 2020 at 5:00 PM
  4. The Virginia Farmers Market Association and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will begin hosting the statewide contest starting Monday, August 10, 2020.
    • Monday, August 10th – Voting will open for the Northern Virginia and Central Regions. Photos will be posted by their region to the VAFMA Facebook page and people can begin casting votes by liking their Local Food Superhero. Voting will close August 16th at 5:00 PM.
    • Monday, August 17th – Voting will open for the Southwest, Blue Ridge and Shenandoah Regions. Photos will be posted by their region to the VAFMA Facebook page and people can begin casting votes by liking their Local Food Superhero. Voting will close August 23rd at 5:00 PM.
    • Monday, August 24th – Voting will open for the Capital, Coastal and Southside Regions. Photos will be posted by their region to the VAFMA Facebook page and people can begin casting votes by liking their Local Food Superhero. Voting will close August 30th at 5:00 PM.
  5. During the contest, market managers, staff and vendors are encouraged to share their photo on their websites, social media and through email and encourage their followers to like and share the Facebook post on the VAFMA Facebook page to collect “likes” on their photo. VAFMA and VDACS will also share contest information through their marketing channels to encourage participation. Consumers can vote for their favorite Local Food Superhero without attending the market by visiting Facebook.
  6. At the close of the contest, the market in each region receiving the most likes on their photo will be declared the regional winner and receive a Virginia Grown/Virginia Finest gift basket. Gift baskets will be delivered to the market manager at the address provided at the close of the contest.

Marketing Talking Points

  • Farmers Markets are Local Food Heroes!
  • Fresh is Best!!
  • Farmers markets bring local, fresh produce and products to the communities they serve
  • Find local, farm fresh products for your family at a market near you
  • Visit your local farmers market without leaving your home with online ordering options
  • Online ordering and drive-thru market pickup options make a visit to your local farmers market convenient and easy
  • Be a hero and support your local farmers market
  • Farmers markets are easy to find, find one at VirginiaGrown.com or VAFMA.org
  • Summer has arrived in Virginia and so has fresh picked, in season produce at your local farmers market
  • Farmers markets help support local family owned farms
  • Farmers markets provide community access to healthy food
  • Farmers Markets are critical healthy food access points for all Virginians
  • SNAP at markets help make local food equitable and accessible to all
  • Markets are rooted in community– during the pandemic, markets connect farmers and small food based businesses directly to individuals and families. Markets can and have shifted, pivoted, and responded to the ever-changing farmer and community needs during the pandemic.
  • Markets have helped small businesses continue to operate during the pandemic by providing consistent sales outlets for farmers and food based businesses.

LOGOS

Virginia Is For Farmers Market Lovers