Helping Public Markets GrowOne of the 35 or so short films I did for MarketUmbrella a few years ago to show the resiliency and enterprise in our farmers, fishers and markets. This one was designed for new vendors to watch so that they could understand what “setting up” at the market meant.
All are available on YouTube.
The report from Fair Food Network, Market Umbrella, Roots of Change and Wholesome Wave offers some helpful data and analysis of the incentive programs used in farmers markets. All 4 of these organizations are involved with incentive campaigns at different levels and have begun to see the effects of the many campaigns that they have run. It is clear to me that cash incentives have been successful in reducing the early barriers for markets hoping to attract lower income shoppers. However,the ability of the market organizations to create and manage these campaigns remains a cause of concern in some networks and states.
I am curious as to how incentives could be used in more ways (two examples might be how to attract new vendors or thanking neighbors who live with the impact of the market ) and how other incentives besides a cash match could be developed.
See the report here. FYI- It is only opening on computers; it does not seem to open on tablets at this point.
This is a presentation that I have done for markets about seeking anchor vendors. It is a little clunky on photo format, but I wanted to get it on here for folks to have. Let me also say that there is another piece to this that I took off (for the sake of making this clear and simple) about searching for the anchor vendor primary shoppers group by group. Basically, it’s about understanding those anchor vendors and finding their shoppers in groups of 25-100 at a time through different marketing outlets.
Recently, I have worked with US Federation of Worker Cooperatives as a way to further my efforts as a trainer for markets and food systems. Thankfully, the USF0W is willing to share skills and resources from their excellent DAWN network with other sectors. Worker cooperatives differ from marketing cooperatives in that their very definition is about workers being involved in the decision-making in their workplaces. Marketing cooperatives are often a loose confederation of separately owned businesses marketing products or services together. Both types exists within the market movement, and both types need to be understood better so they can be encouraged more.
The article below talks about rural co-ops and their effect on urban job growth. Effective language and one finds some practical language for markets interested in using co-op techniques to encourage real growth, just as urban communities have done by learning from their rural neighbors.
Rural Co-ops Show the Way to Urban Job Growth – Politics – Utne Reader.
Novo Dia Group partners with WorldPay to offer complete payment solution to Farmers Market community
The Mobile Market+ and AprivaPay solution enables farmers markets to accept credit, debit, and electronic benefit cards (EBT), making fresh, nutritious, local produce accessible to families receiving food assistance all on single device.
Austin, TX – November 5, 2012 -Novo Dia Group, Inc., a software development firm specialized in the health and human services industry, today announced an agreement with WorldPay Inc. that will allow its Mobile Market+ product to be available to Farmers Markets and small retailers nationwide beginning early 2013. A combined offering of AprivaPay and Mobile Market+ will offer merchants the most complete payment coverage available. Now on a single device, merchants will be allowed to process Credit, Debit, and all EBT transactions. In addition to a combined offering, NDG and WorldPay have agreed to service merchants seeking EBT only services. Pricing for the combination and EBT only solution is expected in early December, and will offer a flexible combination of connectivity, device, and services.
“We’re pleased to partner with Novo Dia to bring a full service smartphone offering to Farmer’s Markets and non-traditional retailers nationwide. We believe the combination of NDG’s innovation and our best of breed processing capabilities brings a full service solution to a market that is quickly expanding, and also serves a vital role in the retail community.” Steve Eyring director of sales WorldPay
The Mobile Market+ application, which was recently recognized as a finalist in the Verizon Innovation Awards, is a solution specifically developed to service merchants seeking a mobile POS solution or ones with no access to phone lines, networks or electricity. The handheld device is battery operated and communicates wirelessly via Wi-Fi or the cellular network. The Mobile Market+ application is approved by Apple and USDA. Approved vendors can download the app directly from the App Store.
Novo Dia Group is a full-service software development and consulting firm based in Austin, Texas. It specializes in the Health and Human Services industry with focus on processing benefit delivery systems for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and debit transactions.
Please visit http://www.novodiagroup.com for more information.
PR Contacts:
Josh Wiles, Novo Dia Group, Inc T: 512-371-4134, mail to: josh@novodiagroup.com
Steve Eyring, WorldPay T: 801-302-9924, mail to: steve.eyring@worldpay.us
For markets looking for a good deal on online database management should check out salsa labs. In their own words:
These are a few of our best qualities:
Experts at helping you build your base of support with a seamless, online platform to fundraise, advocate, communicate and organize
Enterprise-ready infrastructure for greater insight and engagement with your community, no matter what numbers of supporters, chapters, campaigns or programs you may have – from 100 to 100 million
A Network of more than 40,000 peers and partners all supportive of your mission and ready to help in our online community Salsa Commons, in our virtual seminars, at our community events and at our annual conference
98% Average Client Support Satisfaction Rating – really, what more is there to say? Our top-notch services, support and training team is downright obsessive about making certain you are as happy as possible with Salsa.
As a massively populated area with some of the most fertile farmland prepares for some very bad weather, maybe their markets can use this time to help expand the idea of product choices as a way to assist their farmers.
The Case For Eating Ugly Fruits and Vegetables | Care2 Causes.
The link below is an earlier post on extending market shoppers with “kits”:
Market Kits
A great one with Young Kim of Fondy Food Center and Peter Marks from Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project presenting.
Dear Southern Farmers: The product is a solar cell that can be painted onto surfaces to generate and conduct electricity to power electronic devices. The paint generates the electricity and conducts it as well. The electricity generated can be used right away or stored for later use. This paint will lower the carbon footprint, energy bills, gasoline consumption, and energy dependence on international countries. Your participation would be greatly appreciated. The survey is short, easy and should take about 5 minutes!
Often, I talk about forms of capital and how it’s a great framework for defining local food systems. I use the forms of capital for the Indicator Matrix framework that I have been working on Farmers Market Coalition (FMC). I thought I would share the handout given to me that defines a great many of them; I believe this is a Ford Foundation handout done by Yellow Wood Associates, an excellent consulting firm that is focusing on the same outcomes that our market field is hoping to achieve.
Here is the list of capitals that the handout defines:
Intellectual (FMC refers to this as human)
Social
Individual
Natural
Built
Political
Financial
Working since the 1980s on social change issues while encouraging civic activity across North America. I live in the Gumbo Nation and was raised in Buckeye Nation. I provide support and consulting for localized food systems, especially farmers markets. Bicycling, clean water, pocketbook issues, true wealth generation, reanimating public spaces and direct action democracy are also within my focus. Have blogged for a decade, have published essays and non-fiction since 2001.
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