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Free Training for Farmers Market Managers

Free Training for Farmers Market Managers

Free Training for Farmers Market Managers
With the recent snowfall in Iowa it’s easy to forget that the summer farmers market season is only six weeks away. Farmers market managers are busy signing up their vendors and finalizing logistics for their markets. Many, if not most, of these market managers are volunteers, not paid staff, and finding time for professional development can be difficult. Two Eastern Iowa nonprofits are encouraging market managers, paid staff or not, to participate in this March 30th area training.

Iowa Valley RC&D (Amana) and Northeast Iowa RC&D (Postville) are hosting a free Lettuce Grow Markets Training Event for farmers market managers Thursday, March 30th at the Williamsburg Public Library. Focus for this training will be on federal and state food assistance programs that benefit seniors, women, infants and children and community members who use the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). Participants will learn how best to assist vendors, accept credit and debit cards, and how to successfully share program details with customers. Market coordinators from the Iowa City Farmers Market and the Winneshiek Farmers Market will be speaking about the programs and their effectiveness.

Iowa Valley RC&D Food System Director Jason Grimm and Northeast Iowa RC&D Regional Farmers Market Coordinator Josh Dansdill are hosting the training which will also be broadcast statewide for managers who want to participate remotely.

Lettuce Grow Markets Training for Farmers Market Managers
Thursday, March 30th  2 pm – 4 pm

Williamsburg Public Library

300 West State Street, Williamsburg, Iowa 52361 

For details and to register visit the Iowa Valley RC&D (www.ivrcd.org) or Northeast Iowa RC&D (www.northeastiowarcd.org) websites. Market managers can attend the training at the Williamsburg Public Library or attend remotely by registering online at http://bit.ly/2lXJwMP to participate.

Attached Photo: Winneshiek Farmers Market