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Compeer Financial awards $85K in farmers market grants
72 markets, 32 farmers in Illinois, Minn. and Wisconsin received grant awards
compeer
From left to right, Pat Holstrom of Holstrom Honey, Anne Schultz and Erin Mullett of Compeer Financial, Tom Miller of Main Street Monroe Farmer’s Market, Annette Holstrom of Holstrom Honey and Mickey Beam of the Main Street Monroe Farmers Market.

SUN PRAIRIE — Compeer Financial’s Fund for Rural America, the Farm Credit cooperative’s giving program, has awarded Farmers Market Grants, totaling $85,088. This is the sixth year Compeer Financial has offered these grants.

The grants are supporting 72 farmers market organizations, with funding up to $1,000 for marketing, technology or educational efforts. Since the program debuted in 2019, these grants have directly impacted 12,463 people and touched the lives of more than nine million farmers market visitors. 

If you go ...

■ The Main Street Monroe Farmer’s Market is held on the square on Wednesdays from noon to 3 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., May 1 through Oct. 30. More information can be found at their website https://www.mainstreetmonroe.org/farmers-market or their Facebook page. 

The Main Street Monroe Farmers Market will be utilizing the grant funding to feature cooking demonstrations of local products for sale on the third Saturday of each month.

■ The Albany Farmer’s market is held at 300 N Water Street on the third Sunday of the month from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., May through September, with the exception of June, which lasts until noon. The Albany Farmer’s Market is using the grant funding for website development and to update signage. 

“We couldn’t be more excited to provide funding to these 72 farmers markets,” said Karen Schieler, senior corporate giving specialist at Compeer Financial. “Fresh produce should be accessible to all, and these grants help both farmers and consumers. Shopping at farmers markets supports local agriculture and provides the consumer with as fresh of produce as possible. It’s a win-win.”

The grants will be offered again in 2025. Beginning this year, market organizations are eligible for the grant every other year. Farmer vendors who are clients of Compeer will continue to be eligible every year, with priority given to those who have not previously received the grant. Learn more at compeer.com/giving-back. 

compeer
From left to right, vendors Angie Mueller and Richard Olin, Erin Mullett of Compeer Financial, vendor Lynn Dahleen, Diane Harrigan-Kapel of Albany Farmers Market, vendor Beth Fargo, and Anne Schultz and Sherry Gertsch of Compeer Financial.

The 72 farmers markets in Compeer Financial’s territory receiving grants include:


Wisconsin

Albany Farmers Market

Baldwin Farmers Market

Belleville WI Farmers Market

Burlington Farmers Market, Inc.

DeForest Farmers’ Market

Dodgeville Farmers Market

Eau Claire Downtown Farmers Market

Ellsworth Farmers Market 

Farmers and Artisans River Market (Marshall)

Fondy Farmers Market (Milwaukee)

Galesville Farmer’s & Artisan’s Market

Gays Mills Farmers’ Market

Horicon Farmers Market

Jackson County Farmers Market (Black River Falls)

Jackson Park Farmers Market (Milwaukee)

Main Street Monroe Farmers Market

Menomonee Falls Village Market

Meyer Oak Grove Market

Monroe Street Farmers Market (Madison)

Platteville Farmer’s Market, Inc

Potosi Tennyson Market

Ridgeway Farmers Market

SCIO Farmers Market (Sheboygan)

Spring Street Market (Lodi)

The Camp Douglas Farmer’s Market

Verona Downtown Farmers’ Market

Washburn Farmers Market


Illinois

Andersonville Farmers Market (Chicago)

Aurora Farmers Market

Canton Farmers Market 

Chicago’s Green City Market Program

Eden Place Farmers Market (Chicago)

Edgebrook Farmers Market (Rockford)

Garfield Park Neighborhood Market (Chicago)

Glenview Farmer’s Market at Historic Wagner Farm

Hampshire Area Chamber of Commerce Farmers & Outdoor Market

Lincoln Square Farmers Market (Chicago)

Mercado de Colores de La Villita (Chicago)

North End City Market (Rockford)

North Lawndale Community Market (Chicago)

Northcenter Farmers Market (Chicago)

Oswego Country Market

Peoria RiverFront Market

QC Farmers Market (Rock Island)

Tinley Park Farmers Market

Twin City Farmers Market (Sterling)

Woodstock Farmers Market


Minnesota

Albert Lea Farmers Market

Big Lake Farmers Market

Central Hillside Farmers Market (Duluth)

Civic Center Farmers’ Market (Duluth)

Crystal Farmers Market

Eyota’s Farmers Market

Four Sisters Farmers Market (Minneapolis)

Goodview Farmers Market

Hopkins Farmers Market

Hutchinson Farmers Market

Lake Minnetonka Excelsior Farmers Market

Lakes Area Farmers Market (Brainerd)

Little Falls Farmers Market

Luverne Farmers Market

New Prague Farmers Market

New Ulm Farmers Market

North Mankato Farmers’ Market

Pipestone Farmers Market

Rochester Farmers Market

Simple Living Farmers Market (Spring Grove)

St. Joseph Farmers Market

St. Peter Farmers’ Market

Two Harbors Farmers Market 

West Side Farmers Market (St. Paul)

Worthington Farmer’s Market