Resources for Farmers Markets & Local Food Leaders
Tools to Help Your Market Thrive
Running a successful farmers market takes more than great vendors and fresh produce—it takes planning, organization, creativity, and community support. The West Virginia Farmers Market Association (WVFMA) provides practical resources designed to help farmers, market managers, and local food advocates strengthen operations, grow participation, and create lasting impact.
Whether you’re launching a new market, improving an existing one, or looking for fresh ideas, WVFMA is here to help.
Market Management Resources
Access tools and guidance to help markets operate smoothly and grow sustainably.
Resources may include:
- Market startup guides
- Vendor applications and policies
- Operational best practices
- Marketing and promotional materials
- SNAP/EBT and food access information
- Community engagement strategies
Educational Materials & Training
Knowledge is one of the most valuable tools a market can have. WVFMA offers educational materials, workshops, and training opportunities that support long-term success for markets, vendors, and community partners.
Topics may include:
- Vendor recruitment and retention
- Market promotion and branding
- Food safety and compliance
- Leadership and board development
- Agriculture and local food education
Funding & Grant Opportunities
Finding financial support can help markets expand services, improve infrastructure, and better serve their communities. WVFMA connects members with mini-grants, funding opportunities, and tools to support sustainable growth.
Funding Calendars and Listings
- The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service has a calendar for funding opportunities for agricultural-related grants. These range from specialty crop grants to advertising and marketing grants for small business owners to funding for training programs.
- Grants.gov is a system that provides a centralized location for grant seekers to find and apply for federal funding opportunities. You can browse by federal grant category and keywords.
- Philanthropy News Digest organizes RFPs by category, due date, and sometimes location. They publish weekly email newsletters in order to notify subscribers when new funding opportunities arise. PND is a very useful resource for finding national grants.
- The Center for Non-Profit Excellence publishes three new funding opportunities a month to a large list of grants and funding opportunities.
- The Rural Assistance Center keeps an up-to-date list for targeted funding opportunities for our state.
- Try This WV has a guide to funding your community project authored by a local WV funder.
Newsletters
- West Virginia Farmers Market Association e-newsletter subscribers receive not only information about funding, but also various other useful information.
- WV-USDA “Publications, Tool, Learning and Funding” newsletter. Contact Lisa.Sharp@wv.usda.gov and ask her to add you to the list. Lisa Sharp works with USDA Rural Development in Morgantown, and this is an incredibly useful newsletter to subscribe to.
- The Farmers Market Coalition e-newsletter shares and sometimes directly offers farmers’ market funding opportunities.
Links
Farmers Market Research
Regional Organizations
West Virginia Links
The Farmers Market Vendor Guide
The Farmers Market Vendor Guide is the most comprehensive document available regarding rules and regulations affecting farmers’ markets. The West Virginia Department of Agriculture has developed this guide.
If you have questions about produce inspections, please contact Jeremy Grant with the WVDA at jgrant@wvda.us.
Poultry Processing Trailer Rentals
Access affordable, state-compliant equipment to process poultry efficiently and safely. Available to WVFMA members across West Virginia, this service helps farmers expand production and add value to their operations.
Insurance
In collaboration with the Blue Ridge Risk Partners, farmers market vendors can obtain insurance for protection against claims of bodily injury liability, property damage liability, personal and advertising injury liability, and the litigation costs to defend against such claims. Blue Ridge Risk Partners is offering a number of policies ranging in price from $50 to $350 dollars to cater to the individual needs of each vendor. They also offer general liability policies that would cover entire farmers’ markets. If you have questions, please contact Blue Ridge Risk Partners on the web at https://www.blueridgeriskpartners.com.
Rules & Regulations
The WVFMA is not a regulatory entity. We are a membership-based organization that was created by West Virginia farmers markets and exists to assist and strengthen farmers’ markets. In this capacity, we seek to work with regulatory entities, such as DHHR and the WVDA, to clarify the information farmers’ markets and their vendors need to comply with existing rules and regulations. Our Policy Committee also advocates for policy change when necessary.
The information on this page represents the most up-to-date information we have identified to help markets and their vendors understand rules and regulations. When in doubt, always contact the agency responsible for regulating the topic of interest, as they have the authority and last say regarding compliance.
Get Involved
Become a WVFMA Member
Connect with a statewide network dedicated to stronger farmers markets and local food systems. Access resources, training, and opportunities to grow your impact.