USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service has taken the lead in forming the Farmers Market Consortium, a public/private sector partnership dedicated to helping farmers markets by sharing information about funding and resources available to them. Along with several USDA agencies and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, members of the Consortium include the Ford Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and several other non-profit organizations involved in farmers market support and advocacy.

One initial recommendation from Consortium members was to create a collective Farmers Market Resource Guide. The guide provides a centralized repository of information about Federal and private foundation resources that support farmers markets. It is divided into four major project categories: market development, producer training and support, consumer education and access, and market promotion.

To enhance the impact of the Consortium on the farmers market industry, AMS and its fellow Consortium members sponsored the first National Farmers Market Summit in Baltimore, MD in November 2007. This invitation-only event was comprised of a diverse group of 75 key stakeholders selected from all segments of the U.S. farmers market industry, including farmers, market managers, community planners, academic researchers, non-profit consultants, funders and government policymakers. The event was designed as a way to begin the process of identifying the key challenges and priorities facing the farmers market sector at its current stage of development. Through a facilitated series of discussions, Summit participants identified twelve critical issues that need to be addressed by local, State and national stakeholders to maintain the continued growth and vitality of farmers markets across the country.

To take advantage of the momentum emerging from the Summit event, AMS personnel prepared a comprehensive proceedings report, which outlined the major reflections and achievements of the Summit and contained subsequent feedback from Summit participants. Observations captured in this proceedings document will be used to help guide the future work of the Farmers Market Consortium.