Training Program Launched for
Farmers Market Vendors in West Virginia
“It’s a farmers market, and it sells things.” This
is the extent of the information that most farmers
market vendors have when they begin selling at
market, according to Larry Lower, a market manager
with over ten years’ experience at the Berkeley
Springs Farmers Market. He is describing the lack of
knowledge that most beginning vendors have when it
comes to knowing what it takes to make a successful
farmers market-based business work. According to
Mr. Lower, despite the
huge market that exists
in WV for locally grown
food, “about 50% of all
potential new vendors
would not make it through
their first year without
close mentor-ship or
training. Only about 10%
of them have researched
all the things that are
necessary to become a
successful vendor. Many
of them have unrealistic
expectations about what
selling at a farmers market
is really like. They come
with a product to sell, but
have no knowledge of
rules and regulations that are associated with selling
that product.”
and confusing without guidance and support. We are
going to make sure those vendors thrive.”
Participants must apply and be selected to attend
a two-day training which will be held in Charleston
in April. This event will be hosted by the WVFMA
in coordination with experts from WVU Extension
Service, WV Department of Agriculture, WV
Department of Health
& Human Resources,
the WV Food and
Farm Coalition, and
others. This training
will involve hosting a
two-day New Vendor
Launch “Boot Camp” to
provide in-depth training
for beginning vendors,
as well as producing
a written toolkit that
will be made available
to all West Virginia
farmers markets and
their vendors. Selected
participants will also be
paired with experienced
mentors to help ensure
their success, and both participants and mentors will
receive funding to help offset travel costs and grow
their businesses.
“about 50% of all
potential new vendors
would not make it
through their first year
without close mentorship or training.”
This is the issue that the West Virginia Farmers
Market Association (WVFMA) is trying to address
with their New Vendor Launch Initiative. The
program is designed to train and educate beginning
farmers market vendors on the topics that are vital
for their success. These topics include postharvest
handling, licensing and food safety requirements,
marketing, visual merchandising, customer service,
booth design and more. According to Kelly Crane,
Executive Director WVFMA, “We have heard over
and over again from our member markets about how
important it is to have new vendors succeed during
their first seasons selling at market. Getting up to
speed on all the information can be overwhelming
28 West Virginia Farm Bureau News
The WVFMA is seeking applicants with 0 -2
years of farmers market vendor experience. The full
application is available at http://wvfarmers.org/newvendor-launch/. All applications must be submitted
by February 15, 2015. For more information, contact
Adam Taylor, Project Coordinator, at ataylor.
[email protected].
This training has been made possible by a federal
grant awarded to the WVFMA through the USDA’s
Farmer Market Promotion Program (FMPP), as well
as the support of the Claude Worthington
B