1. How many markets do you
sell at?
Work
full-time, can’t do more.
2. What items do you sell?
Prepared
drinks/beverage
4. Does your market have enough vendors?
The
respondent marked “yes” but wrote in “can always use more.”
My hometown
market doe, the others don’t
Yes,
but a few more would be fine, though
5. What other product
vendors would you like to have at your market?
Cheese
Potted
plants (seedlings)
6. What factors would encourage new vendor
participation?
A
lot of local advertising to insure a good attendance
Better public attendance.
More advertising.
More
customers; more outreach
More
business at the market
More
“buy local” advertising
Better
advertising would help sales and participation
More
spaces, larger area, more customers
Successful
markets & advertising
Better
organization-stronger rules-outside person, not a vendor, who is in charge
The
One
on one and mass appeal for
Located
in a big city
No
fee, ample parking, good visibility, good location
High
visibility of market
Low
vendor fees
Maybe
a different attitude toward different types of vendors
Winter
regional markets
We don’t need more vendors.
This is a small town and not enough money to support more vendors.
Less
regulations, more government & town assistance to markets
Guaranteed
sales via prebuy program
Time,
location, foot traffic
Live
entertainment
New
types of vendor—don’t need too many of the same people
selling the same thing. [Note: this vendor marked question 5 (What other product
vendors would you like to have at your market?) with needing more vendors
selling the same product he/she sells.]
Customers
(at other markets)
More
purchase traffic; longer hours at market, i.e., 4 hours
More
advertising
More
shoppers
Music
is offered to attract customers by a wide variety of
performers.
Possible
change in hours
Location/exposure,
attendance
Traffic
flow, music
Good
organization with strong executive board, timely and consistent advertising
Making
a profit
Market
for these: times, easy set up, high visibility
Higher
sales revenue
Larger
demand/market attendance
The
ability for a more diverse selection for customers
More
space than current location
Room
for vendors, not too much duplication
More
space—less state & federal regulation
7. What is the fee structure for selling at your
market?
Daily (Weekly): $5 for porta-potty
$5 weekly/$50 for the season
$5 weekly and $20 for the season
$10 weekly and $100 for the season
$8 weekly and $50 for half season (10
weeks)
11. Does this market have
bylaws?
Not
sure
Not
aware—common sense
Guidelines
10. Does this market have an annual meeting?
Probably next season.
14. Does this market require you to carry product
liability insurance?
Ask
the market manager
16. Do local and state regulations support your market
and agriculture?
Don’t
know.
This
is a loaded question and can’t be answered by a yes or no
Not
sure
17. What changes would you like to see to state and
local regulations affecting farmers’ markets?
Home food processing guidelines—too expensive for
commercial license for small operators.
Less restrictions on FM coupons
I
would like to see less regulations and state interference in farmers’ markets
(Note: respondent marked “Do local and
state regulations support your market and agriculture? YES”
In
Limited
liability as this is an agricultural event
State
health certificates should be accepted in
self-inspecting towns
Some
local regulations are too strict or costly
Relaxing
rules (especially license requirement) for those selling low yearly dollar
amount of product
Leave
them alone!!!
Homestead
Act rules are too restrictive for vendors.
Food safety training would make more sense.
Remove
state regulations—only want $
Don’t use
the same model as is used with large companies.
Contradictory
rules from USDA
Allow
selling of baked goods without permit
Less regulations on selling jams, pickles, breads, pies
Less regulations for vendors selling for years at markets. Stop implementing stupid rules.
Home
processing license should cover more processed canned items: pickles, relish, salsa,
etc
Changes
to laws affecting dairy
Less
strict!!
Approved recipes & license, cert. kits [kitchens] to prepare foods
reduces vendor options
High
city fee for
Reciprocity
on licensing between the state and self-inspecting jurisdictions
Allow
home kitchens to
do pickles, relishes, etc.
Less
stringent food laws—based on amount provided
To
have all scales regulated once a year
Good
level now—too many regulations might stifle productivity
18. Does this farmers’ market contribute to economy of
this community?
How
would I know?
Small
scale
20. Are there any changes you would like to see in the
WIC FMNP?
It
would be nice of they could be used on all farmers’ market products.
Yes, accepting for meat.
Include
my products.
More flexible payment.
Eggs
& meats being accepted.
Make
it understood our gardens do not go until the end of WIC date
Expand
the ability to use the coupons on baked goods that are healthy (i.e. breads)
and eggs
Start
the coupons circulating earlier in the season.
We end early (frost) in September.
Date
to register for program as a vendor should be extended
to May 15
Make
coupons electronic—paper is very time consuming
Allow
to be used for bread
Better
system for coupons-quicker turn around on the dollars
Training
of coupons recipients
Meat
& cheese acceptance
Better
coupons
Easier
use of WIC for vendors
Expand
to eggs and meat
Reasonable
payment timeliness, franked return envelopes, better [illegible word] coupons
There
should be some money put into the program.
Right now it is too little.
Discontinued.
Coupons
for honey, meat, breads, potted herbs.
Yes,
so they can buy honey and eggs—these are not processed foods
Approve
vendors without having to go to
Allow
a market to join
Not familiar enough with WIC. But I think it
is great to encourage by local fresh
Be
able to register into the season/not pre-season
Allow
customers to purchase eggs & honey & other natural foods
We
continue to be sure customer gets full value in produce for their coupons—they
are real $
Wider
distribution of coupons
Later
deadline for forms
Coupons
too difficult to count
Allow
honey, maple syrup, eggs & meats
Dairy
21. Would this market be willing to redeem food
stamps?
How
is this a question for a vendor?
What
are the regulations? (Note: has not
visited nhfma.org)
Yes,
but never received many in the past when we tried
Not
electronically
No
idea
Not
sure
We
would need to discuss this issue as a market
?
22. Would you as an individual vendor be willing to
redeem food stamps?
Again
tried this but for the amount of work, the dollars
redeemed didn’t justify it
Depends
upon how involved it is and time consuming.
Not
really
Maybe
If
not too cumbersome
23. Would you attend a “redeeming food stamps
workshop?”
If
required.
If
it was in the north country and I didn’t have to drive
to the south. (Note: has attended NHFMA annual meeting)
If
held in off season/winter
24. What do you consider to be the
barriers to redeeming food stamp benefits? Other?
Education.
Unknown
until program and software is fully explained
Cost
of equipment
No
electricity, no affordable phone service for EBT-card processing
Electronics
too expensive for small markets
Don’t
know.
Paperwork/hassle.
Meat
is not allowed?
Or is this a WIC rule?
I
tried and because I had no customers use them within 6 months, the state
cancelled my license to redeem. We need
more time if we hope to build this up.
Don’t
mess with paperwork. Just give me cash please.
No
idea—know nothing about it
I
have to travel too far to participate in a food stamps workshop, and I don’t sell enough quantity to make it worthwhile
I
really don’t see barriers—just need to be more educated on concept
Accessing
the card since it is a debit card
Fees
I
did this before electronics was needed. Not enough interest by the
customers to repay my investment in training & promotion. These days people
are getting less dollar value in food stamps.
No
idea
25. Have you ever attended
an NHFMA annual meeting at the NH Farm & Forest Exposition?
At
their meetings held other places.
Distance
to F&F Expo (
26. What are some beneficial educational topics you
are interested in?
Mostly
related to growing topics—not-market topics
Great. (not sure what the
respondent means)
Any
farming topics-growing.
Bees,
herbs
Running
a goat dairy operation
Share
issues [with other vendors]
Displays-display paraphernalia-freezers-tabletop, etc.
Structure
of markets
Starting
small—selling big!
Marketing
products to public
Homestead
license—too difficult to bother with
NH
Farm to restaurant Connection
I am
interested in local economy and healthy food.
I am a teacher.
Technical
help on growing produce in NH given our less that ideal weather, soils,
infrastructure.
Display
appeal
Marketing
tips
Requirements
for licensing to sell processed foods or meats or dairy products—easing that
process
Recipes
for approved jelly & jams, breads, pickles, relishes
Understanding
state & local regulations
27. Would you participate in a “certified or
recognized” vendor program?
At
what cost? For what
purpose, other than snob appeal.
Marked
“no” and followed with three !!!
No
this is stupid. What purpose does this have for
some one who has sold for years?
Not
really, too busy
Depends on requirements.
Not
sure what this is
28. Would you find a “How to Sell at a Farmers”
Market” book helpful, if the book also contained references to NH state regulations?
NO. Not especially.
NO. there are enough already.
No. Constantly changing-unless it is coming from
NHDAMF web and can be updated quickly. There are some out there already.
NO. There plenty
available
NO. No government interference.
NO. We are already organized.
NO. What would be intent—how to sell lettuce
29. What are some of the
topics a “How to Sell at a Farmers” Market” book should cover?
Regulations-product packaging.
Successful
marketing strategies
Marketing
tips
Pricing
(multiple remarks)
Display
(multiple remarks)
Cover
rules, regulations, WIC program, possible products
contacts
Display,
pricing, signs
Presentation
Beginner
farmers need to understand more how to start-up and plan ahead with their
marketing.
Behavior
of vendors at markets
Pricing,
attracting new customers, attracting quality vendors
Regulations:
what you should know
Sales
tax regulations; how to price profitably, license regulations, where to buy in
bulk
Product-farm
presentation, pricing to sell, marketing surveys
Regulations & requirements. Display
appearance. Food
Safety.
Food
safety—displays—commitment to market
Not
references—explanations. The regs are incomprehensible!
Product
cooking guidelines
Sample
bylaws; definitions of std. selling units (bunch)
Regs or
restrictions on food prep.; guidelines to follow
How
to draw customers to your space
Research
results that show why people buy certain products
Appearance of your stall or booth. Price list
prominently displayed.
Stand
set up, weight/measure requirements
Weights & measures of items, grades, etc. What does it
take to have a licensed kitchen.
USDA
requirements on value added products, i.e., herb-flavored olive oil &
vinegars
Already
have it (or one like it)
Pricing
37. Would you be willing to serve on the NHFMA board
of directors?
NO. Not yet. Can’t—too busy now.
39. What are your estimated annual sales per market?
Less
than $400
Remarks:
Would like to see fewer crafts in favor of more
products like eggs, milk—actual farm products. Also would
like to see fewer cookies, etc.
The
questions seem much more related to managers than vendors.
Some
of your questions really do require contact info which
you have not provided space for (Note: NHFMA contact info provided on from
page),
We
need more money for advertising.
We
need more advertising. One of our local
papers did a whole page of photos of the other farmers market in town-we have not been featured and I feel that is wrong-I would like
to see more information on regulations and a more open forum and accessibility
to us farmers’ markets “North of the Notch”.
Posters-books-workshops and any “support” would help tremendously.
Meetings south of the notches are a pain—I
would not use my valuable time, not to mention expense, of going the distance. (Note:$1,000-$3,000 estimated annual sales)
As
an ag producer we would like
to see more NH ag promotion in the public media,
e.g., TV ads, newspapers, etc. We feel
if the state were to do more to promote local grow and it’s
benefits (cost, freshness, nutritional benefits_ it would do a lot to grow the
farmers’ markets in the state of NH. We
would also like to see the state help new and beginning farmers with land
affordability by providing grants or low interest loans (working with banks,
FSA?). (The state could purchase farm land that is being sold to developers and make it
available to small farmers at an affordable price.) Change tax structure on farm
land so farmers who are retiring won’t sell to developers.
Hope
this info is helpful. Will you be
distributing the outcome of this survey?
I have noticed that sales this
year are down from the past two years.
Thanks for this survey. It has
given me info I did not know or have on hand. Our market has a board of directors. No one person runs the market. The board consists of 5
members who volunteer their time and the responsibility is divided among them,
i.e., applications, placement of vendors, advertisement, dealing with issues
that arise. The (our) market has to
annual meetings: 1st one before the market
opens for the season to welcome new vendors and answer any questions. Then a potluck dinner to
close out the season and discuss any issues that need addressing or vote to
change any issues.
You
should be able to sell canned goods (pickles, relish, etc.) with a homestead
license or without any license. People
should be able to make their own decisions about what to put into their bodies
regarding unpasteurized products or trustworthy canned goods.
I
participate in the farmers’ market for the social aspect and for PR regarding
my product and teaching business. It is
a value hard to define to participate in the local economy made in NH. Customer knows seller. Direct, warm co-operative. I love out farmers’ market and it is the simplicity and independence that appeals to me. If it becomes super organized
I’ll probably drop out and look for another simple, independent, direct local
group. I believe we have become too
institutional and “fancy”. We don’t eve have to use computers to do this. It is refreshing and healthy.
For
vendors participating in multiple markets some kind of standard rules from 1 market to the next would be helpful. Like start times, end times, rules
controlling products sold. It would make
it less hassle to remember what to bring where and when to sell early or not.
Three vendors refused to fill out this
form.
After
filling this survey out I have become very angry. Certified program for
vendors? This is ridiculous.
NH
Market Bulletin needs to contain organic prices.
1. I don’t know what
the goal for farmers markets is but sometimes more is not better. Everyone has the right to start a market but
consideration should be taken when an established
market is near a new market and on the same day of operation. This causes less sales for both markets and when a vendor does less
sales will he continue to come to market (a double edge sword).
2. I think a “How to Sell at Farmers’ Markets”
booklet is a great idea especially for new vendors
3. Certified vendor program is just government
sticking their nose into the free enterprise system (We need less govt
City
of Keene charges $900 per annum [unintelligible word] for holding our market in
their parking lot. The city should pay
us for attracting people to their city and encouraging trade and prosperity,
not charge us!
There
would seem to be a symbiotic relationship in having a limited amount of
crafters in the market. Anything to bring in more volume of customers.
9
DEC 2008