Agriculture Farmers Market Subcommittee 09
NORTHAMPTON FARMERS’ MARKET SUB-COMMITTEE
The purpose of this sub-committee is to research and recommend improvements to Northampton’s farmers’ markets, with the goal of making the markets as good as they can be. The sub-committee
will operate democratically and transparently. The sub-committee’s recommendations will be binding upon approval of the Northampton City Council.
Membership – Representation from:
Northampton Ag Commission
Northampton Farmers
Current Market Managers
Farmers/Vendors at Northampton Markets
Northampton residents / Market customers
Northampton Arts Council or other arts organization (?)
Northampton Business Improvement District (?)
Northampton Chamber of Commerce (?)
CISA (?)
Order of Events:
Ag commission approves formation of sub-committee, chooses chair
Chair notifies market managers of sub-committee and invites them onto committee
Invite other individuals onto sub-committee
Sub-Committee releases public notice, explaining intentions, process, time-frame, etc., and potentially seeking additional members
Full sub-committee meets, sets goals
Sub-Committee members conduct research on area & regional farmers’ markets, building toward a public forum
Customer survey of some sort is conducted (?)
Hold public forum seeking community input on relevant issues the committee is addressing
Sub-Committee drafts recommendations to be approved by Ag Commission.
Recommendations voted on by Northampton City Council
Recommendations implemented by market managers, steering committees, or other applicable parties
Questions for the Sub-Committee to Address:
ALL MARKETS
What are the city’s goals in hosting farmers’ markets?
Healthy food for Northampton residents?
Supporting local agriculture?
Generating community connections?
Drawing in customers for other city businesses?
What issues or problems do any of the city’s markets currently face?
How should Northampton Farmers’ Markets be governed?
Should the Markets collectively have some type of steering committee or centralized advisory board?
Or, should each market be required to have its own steering committee?
Or, should each market do as it sees fit?
What types of funding are available to expand the customer base at Northampton farmers’ markets, to advertise the markets, and to build the markets infrastructures?
SATURDAY
What’s working best about the current Saturday Market?
Location – Is there a location that would allow room for more vendors, for artists & musicians, and for more social gathering space, while still retaining the current market’s central
location?
Timing – Should the market time be extended to later in the afternoon?
Customers – How can the customers’ experience of the market be improved? What, if anything, do customers need that they’re not getting from the current market?
City Gov’t – How can the city better support the success of the market and the individual vendors?
Farmers – How can the market best support local agriculture and local farmers? Can (and should) the market do more to support Northampton-based farmers?
Music & Arts – In what ways could local artists & musicians be brought into the market, both to improve the customers’ experiences of the market and to benefit the artists & musicians
themselves?
Community Gathering Space – How can the social, civic, community-oriented aspects of the market be enhanced?
WINTER MARKET
CISA is currently seeking to organize a winter farmers’ market in Hampshire County.
Should Northampton host such a market?
At what location & what frequency?
Could other institutions & organizations participate & benefit from such a market?
How could Northampton businesses benefit from such a market?