Farmers Markets

A group called Farmers Markets Today just released its survey of farmers market operations in the U.S. The survey covered over 400 respondents, about half of them farmers, currently involved in farmers markets. The results might surprise you.

According to the survey:

• Over half of the farmers (52.9%) sell at more than one market each week
• Most farmers are experienced marketers--57% of those responding to the survey said they have been selling for a decade or more
• Of the markets surveyed 82% have been in business for more than 3 years, with 37% operating for more than a decade
• 
  9% of the markets are supported in some way by a state agency
• 
  Farmers markets are a local affair: 46% of them serve 500 or fewer customers

Two statistics really jump out: the average revenue per farmer per market day, and the percentage of a farmer's total revenue that comes from farmers markets.

Nearly 30 percent of farmers say they make between $150 and $300 at each farmers market. About 14% say they make over $600 per day.

And nearly 20% of respondents say that farmers markets account for over 90% of their total revenue.

There is no doubt that trends like nutrition education and outreach are making farmers markets more and more popular in sourcing supplies for the family table. And because of this farmers markets are becoming more and more important in EBT.









Image courtesy of the Iowa Department of Human Services

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EBT The Next Generation offers a special bonus session on Farmers Markets, Monday October 9 at 5:15 p.m. To register for the conference, or for more information click here.
To see the results of the Farmers Markets Today survey, click here.