Advocate

FMC’s network is one of the most powerful levers for impact in the local food system. All market operators, state associations, and network leaders are eligible to benefit from our programs—regardless of financial contribution.

FMC’s work centers on three core functions: Connect, Educate, and Advocate. FMC ADVOCATES for market operators and state leaders in the following ways:

Sector analysis that informs FMC’s policy positions and ensures federal, state, and local programs align with market realities.
Partnerships with national and state-level allies, including NSAC, to ensure farmers market perspectives shape policy, funding, and program design.
Quarterly virtual meetings to discuss state and local advocacy initiatives and best practices.

Darlene

Wolnik

Program Director

Advocacy

In partnership with and guided by input from market operators nationwide, FMC advocates for the farmers market sector at the national level, including through the Farm Bill, across two key policy priorities. Click here to read our 2026 advocacy priorities.

Interested in learning more or supporting FMC's advocacy priorities? Click here to join the FMC Advocacy Committee!

Research

FMC works to equip market managers and farmers with the tools necessary to run successful markets, while also supporting research that promotes widespread understanding of the impact of farmers markets.

Read our most recent research project, "U.S. farmers market attendance and experiences: Descriptive results from a national survey," conducted in partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Data Collection

FMC has gathered and published data on the impacts markets have on producers, operators, communities, agriculture, and on the larger civic society. FMC's style of sharing impacts using images, data, and impact citations is now deeply ingrained in the culture of farmers markets across the U.S., and helps market operators visualize their impacts and more effectively tell the story of their market.

FMC's most recent data collection project was the National Farmers Market Survey (NFMS) in collaboration with Michigan State University Extension (MSUE). The goal of the NFMS is to create clear profiles and benchmarks for farmers markets at the state, regional, and national levels—information that will help guide policy, resources, and program support.