Michigan Farmers Market Association

Programs: Hoophouses for health is designed to increase access to fresh, local fruits and vegetables for vulnerable families while at the same time expanding the season extension capacity of michigan farmers. The program provides participating farmers with funding to build new hoophouses on their farm. Farmers accept hoophouses for health incentives for produce from participating families at a farmers market or provide produce to qualifying schools. 61 farmers and 12 farmers markets participated in the program in 2017. 18 hoophouses were built on 16 farms throughout the year, and more than 1,300 families received incentives to purchase locally-grown produce. $44,469 in local foods was distributed to vulnerable families with young children in michigan in 2017. Mifma continued its transportation initiative with the flint farmers market and flint mass transportation authority to bring more families to the farmers market to shop for fresh fruits and vegetables. Mifma also established an electronic voucher redemption system for hoophouses for health at the flint farmers market and the allen farmers market in lansing.

mifma engages in food access efforts each year to increase the number of farmers markets that accept food assistance benefits and to support markets that do. In 2017 mifma staff visited 25 farmers markets to observe accepting food assistance benefits and offer feedback.

mifma's educational programming consists of conferences, the market manager certificate program, and farmers markets at the capitol events. In 2017 more than 195 participants attended a two day conference held by mifma to learn the latest information about operating and selling at farmers markets in michigan. The market manager certificate program is designed to encourage farmers market managers to pursue leadership skills and professional development on topics essential to market management. In 2017 mifma hosted its third out-of-state satellite location in indiana, adding to market managers certified in michigan (2011-2017), illinois (2016), and wisconsin (2015). A total of 238 market managers have been certified since the program's inception in 2011. Over 250 hours of education have been provided to certified market managers since 2011. Mifma held three farmers market at the capitol events in 2017, with over 70 vendors participating at each event.