SUN PRAIRIE — Compeer Financial’s Fund for Rural America, the Farm Credit cooperative’s giving program, has awarded Farmers Market Grants, totaling $89,503. This is the fifth year Compeer Financial has offered these grants.
The grants are supporting 77 farmers market organizations, with funding up to $1,000 for marketing, technology or educational efforts. 37 farmer vendors received grants of up to $500. Since the grant debuted in 2019, these grants have directly impacted 10,173 people and touched the lives of 9 million farmers market visitors.
Karen Schieler, senior corporate giving specialist at Compeer Financial, says they are seeing trends from grant recipients this year.
“Marketing continues to be the most needed resource for both vendors and markets,” said Schieler. “Vendors are doing more to brand their businesses and build connections with farmers. Market organizations are continually relying on different media channels to reach a broader population of the community.”
The New Glarus Farmers Market has used a portion of the grant funds to purchase all new signage for their market. The market hopes to use the remainder of funds towards a website or digital marketing. The New Glarus Farmers Market is held every Friday May 5th - October 13th from 3:00-5:30 pm at the Hometown Pharmacy parking lot, 1101 Highway 69, New Glarus, WI. For more information on the New Glarus Farmer’s Market including a list of vendors, products sold and special highlights, follow New Glarus Farmers Market on Facebook or contact them at newglaruswifarmers
market@gmail.com.
Farmers markets are also investing in technology to expand payment options with SNAP benefits through EBT and credit card payments. This year’s markets report that farmer vendors make up 45% of their total vendors. Having a balance of farmers and other vendors helps attract more customers to the market. 2023 farmer grant recipients say that farmers market sales account for more than 50% of their annual sales on average.
“Farmers markets bring fresh, healthy foods directly to communities in an accessible way,” said Schieler. “Many markets have had to make changes through technology, marketing and education in recent years. Through these grants, we hope to recognize the huge asset that farmers markets are to our communities.”
The grants will be offered again next year. Starting in 2024, market organizations will be 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.
The 77 farmers markets in Compeer Financial’s territory receiving grants include:
Illinois
61st Street Farmers Market (Chicago)
Avon’s Farmers Market
Batavia Farmers’ Market
Carthage Farmer’s Market
Downtown Bloomington Farmers’ Market
Downtown Elgin Farmers Market
Downtown Evanston Farmers’ Market
Downtown Pontiac Farmers Market
Elmwood Farmers Market
Farmers Market+ At The Dole (Crystal Lake)
Galesburg Farmers Market
Glenwood Sunday Market (Chicago)
Homewood Farmer Market
Lanark Farmers Market
Lisle French Market
Macomb Farmers Market
Main Street Farmers Market Downtown Aledo
Mt. Sterling Farmer’s Market
Quincy Town Center Farmer’s Market
Ravinia Farmers Market (Highland Park)
Riverside Farmers’ Market
Rockford City Market
Rockford Midtown Market
Stephenson County Farmers Market (Freeport)
Stronghurst Farmers Market
The Dixon Farmer’s Market
Uptown Farmers Market (Chicago)
Wicker Park Farmers Market (Chicago)
Minnesota
Aitkin Farmers Market
Audubon Farmers Market (Minneapolis)
Cambridge Farmers Market
Cannon Falls Farmers Market at Artisan Plaza
Cannon Valley Farmers’ Market (Northfield)
Chisago City Farmers Market
Cold Spring Farmers Market
Cuyuna Range Farmers Market (Crosby)
Eagan Market Fest
Lake City Market by the Lake
Lanesboro Farmers Market
Lewiston Area Farmer’s Market
Lincoln Park Farmers Market (Duluth)
Mahtomedi Area Farmers’ Market
Mankato Farmers Market
Neighborhood Roots (Kingfield Farmers Market, Minneapolis)
Red Wing Area Farmers Market Association
Rice Area Farmers Market
Richfield Farmers Market
Richmond Farmers Market
Riverwalk Market Fair (Northfield)
Saint Paul Farmers’ Market (Lakeville)
St. Cloud Area Farmers Market
The Village Farmers Market (Rochester)
Wabasha Downtown Farmers Market
Wisconsin
Beaver Dam Farmers Market
Boscobel Farmers’ Market
Burnett County Farmers Market (Siren)
Columbus - Fall River - Rio Community Family Market
Downtown Fond du Lac Farmers Market (Whitehall)
Farmers Garden Market
Frederic Farmers Market
Future Neenah Farmers Market
Greendale Downtown Market
Hudson Farmers Market @ Plaza 94
Independence Farmers Market
Monday Market at the Y (Chippewa Falls)
New Glarus Farmers Market
Ontario Farmer’s Market
Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market, Inc.
Osseo Farmers Market
Paoli Mill Farmer’s Market (Belleville)
Prairie du Chien Thursday Night Farmers Market
Richland Area Farmers’ Market (Richland Center)
Stoughton Community Farmers Market
TCC Farmers Market (Hartford)
The Farmers Market at Town Square (Green Lake)
Viroqua Farmers Market
Westside Community Market (Madison)
