New farmers market manager certification program

The Farmers Market Federation of NY, in partnership with SUNY Cobleskill and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County, is pleased to announce the first ever Farmers Market Managers Professional Certification Course to kickoff November 10^th to 12^th on the SUNY Cobleskill Campus: FMM PRO.  This program will create New York State’s first Market Manager Certification designation and will be recognized through the SUNY system.

The FMM PRO course curriculum will include all aspects of maintaining and growing a successful farmers market given in 22 workshops covering 3 main topics:

1.    Nuts and Bolts of Managing Markets
2.    Reaching Out to the Market Community
3.    Building Market Systems

Program participants who complete the full curriculum will be receive certificates signed by the three partnering agencies and will have earned the title of Certified Market Manager. As a SUNY FMM PRO Certified Market Manager, graduates of the program will:

·         Be fully knowledgeable in today’s best practices for managing farmers markets
·         Learn tactics to expand and optimize their farmers market
·         Be equipped to build successful relationships with farmers and shoppers
·         Be able to use their certification to leverage funding and support for their market

The cost of the SUNY Farmers Market Managers Professional Certification will be an affordable $200 for 12 months of access to the online curriculum.  Participants will need to complete all 22 sessions within this time frame, including submitting a quiz and assignment from each section for review in order to receive certification.  In addition, they will need to earn 2 continuing education credits bi-annually by attending special sessions at the Federation’s annual Farmers Market Managers Conference and/or specified manager training webinars in order to keep their Certification active.  

For more information, visit: http://www.nyfarmersmarket.com/fmmpro.

FMM PRO is funded by a grant from Governor Cuomo’s Fresh Connect Program, as part of the Governor’s initiative to build bridges between Upstate NY and Downstate NY, as well as build connections between consumers and NYS agriculture.