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Farmers Market Regional Workshops

Farmers’ markets and direct-to-consumer opportunities are growing across the state and continue to be an important source of fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy and other value added agricultural products from small towns to large metropolitan areas. In 2020, 76 farmers' markets were registered with the Kansas Department of Agriculture's Central Registration of Farmers' Markets.

To support Kansas' farmer's markets, six workshops are generally held throughout the state in February. Due to COVID-19, we are holding the workshop virtually this year.

Lunch and Learn Sessions, February 16-18, 2021, noon to 1 p.m. each day

Tuesday, February 16: Food Safety; Meet the new faces at the KSU Value Added Foods Lab

Wednesday, February 17: Meat and Poultry Regulations

Thursday, February 18: Taxation; accepting EBT and SNAP

 

Main Workshop, Friday, February 19, 2021 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Keynote speaker Michael Kilpatrick

Winning with Direct-to-Consumer Sales: How selling directly to consumers can increase your margins, grow your business, and reduce your stress!

  

Additional topics will include:

  • COVID-19 Related Changes
  • Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program*
  • From the Land of Kansas and the Central Registration for Kansas Farmers Markets
  • Double Up Food Bucks Program Overview

 

2021 Farmers' Market/Direct-to-Consumer Workshop Flyer

Cost: $5

Kansas vendors can get their sales scale tested and certified by the Kansas Department of Agriculture as part of their registration fee. Vendors planning to get their scale certified will need to provide up to 5 years of scale test reports or, if the scale has never been certified, it must have an active NTEP Certificate of Conformance. The following is a link to the NTEP Certificate website where you can research the status of your scale: https://www.ncwm.com/ntep-certificates. After you register and indicate you would like scale testing, you will be notified in due course of a time and place to bring your scale to get tested, which will be after the workshop. 

 

Additional Sessions:

Friday, March 5, 12-1 p.m.: Kansas Produce Safety Update - Register Here


*Notes: 

*An interactive training session for the Kansas Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program is required for all new farmers who wish to participate in the SFMNP. Interactive training may occur during an online training (such as those hosted during this Farmers Market/Direct-to-Consumer Workshops). Returning farmers may complete their training and annual agreement online or at an in-person training. All farmers must submit an annual agreement to KDHE. Visit www.kdheks.gov/sfmnp

This workshop is supported by the Kansas Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Alternative Crops (KCSAAC) and the Kansas Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SARE).

 

Presentations from the 2020 workshops are available at this link.