Minnesota Farmers' Market Association

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Minnesota Farmers' Market Association

MFMA is committed to growing farmers' markets, to grow the people, who grow the food - for all of us.

MFMA envisions a community of vibrant, profitable and professionally-managed Minnesota Farmers' Markets that cultivates, nourishes and inspires a vibrant local foods community, provides accessibility to local farm fresh foods, and allows opportunities for local food producers to thrive and grow.

09/04/2026

We’re at the Minnesota State Fair today!

Come find MFMA at the Common Table exhibit in the Agriculture-Horticulture Building! We’ll be here until 8 PM with fun, family-friendly activities and plenty of opportunities to learn more about Minnesota farmers, farmers’ markets, local food, and the communities that make it all possible.

Stop by, say hello, learn something new, and celebrate Minnesota agriculture with us!

Already at the Fair? Come find us! We’d love to see you!

09/02/2026

Market Season May Slow Down, but Professional Development Season Is Coming!

As many outdoor markets begin winding down, MFMA's education and professional development season is getting ready to ramp up.

From October through March 2027, watch for trainings, Academy Zoominars, workshops, peer-learning opportunities, and other resources designed to help you strengthen your operations, and prepare for another season.

And mark your calendar for the 2026 MFMA Annual Conference, December 3-4, where Minnesota's farmers' market community will come together around this year's theme:

Growing Strong Together: Building Resilient Markets in a Changing Landscape.

The quieter months give us an opportunity to learn from one another, strengthen our organizations, build new partnerships, and tackle some of the challenges that are difficult to address during the height of market season.

→ Check out the comments for a link to MFMA's website for upcoming learning opportunities!

09/02/2026

FREE Cottage Food Producer Trainings ⚠️

Build your cottage food business with confidence! Explore upcoming learning and professional development opportunities designed specifically for Minnesota Cottage Food Producers. Trainings cover topics such as food safety, Cottage Food Law requirements, labeling, business operations, marketing, and other practical skills to help you successfully grow and manage your cottage food business.

➡️ September Cottage Foods Tier 1 Training, Application, & Test: Wed, Sept 9,6-8pm

➡️ Cottage Foods Tier 1 Training, Application, & Test: Sun, Sept 13, 1-3p

➡️ Cottage Foods Tier 1 Training, Application, & Test: Sat, Sept 19, 1-3pm

Click the links below to learn more and register for an upcoming session.
https://www.mfma.org/Events

08/31/2026

With thousands of Cyclospora illnesses reported across the U.S. this summer, produce growers may be hearing questions from customers about fresh produce and food safety. University of Minnesota Extension has created a short, 10-minute video to help growers understand Cyclospora, reduce risks on the farm, and confidently talk with customers about produce safety (University of Minnesota Twin Cities).

This is a helpful resource to review and share with fellow growers, especially when customers have questions about the current outbreak and Minnesota-grown produce.

The resource is available in English, Hmong, and Spanish! Check out the comments for the video links.

08/29/2026

Cottage Food Producers: Check Those Labels!

Heading to a farmers’ market or community event? Here’s your friendly reminder that proper labeling is required for every cottage food product you sell in Minnesota.

Before market day, make sure your labels include:

✅ Your full name or registered cottage food business name
✅ Your registration number OR registered address
✅ Date the food was produced
✅ Complete ingredient list, including applicable major food allergens
✅ The required statement: “These products are homemade and not subject to state inspection.”

Remember: A QR code can provide additional information, but it cannot replace required information on your product label. You’ll also need a clearly visible sign at your point of sale stating that your foods are homemade and not subject to state inspection.

A quick label check now can help you head to market prepared and confident!

Find more information beginning on page 33 of MFMA’s Minnesota Cottage Foods Registration Manual, see link in the comments.

Have questions or want to learn more? MFMA offers FREE Cottage Food Producer trainings throughout the year covering Minnesota Cottage Food Law, food safety, labeling, registration, and more.

Find an upcoming MFMA training: https://www.mfma.org/Events

08/26/2026

Food Sampling at Your Market? A Quick Safety Reminder

Samples are a great way to introduce shoppers to local products but safe sampling matters!

If you’re offering samples at a Minnesota farmers’ market, remember:

✅️Follow handwashing requirements when preparing food onsite.
✅️Avoid bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods.
✅️Clearly post ingredients and major food allergens.
✅️Keep foods at safe temperatures and protected from contamination.
✅️Samples must be free, 3 oz. or less, and feature a product sold by the vendor. ✅️Additional requirements apply when sampling animal products.

Market managers: Share MFMA’s sampling guidance and worksheet with vendors before sampling begins. A little preparation helps everyone provide a safe and delicious market experience!

Review MFMA’s Food Product Sampling & Demonstration Guide and Sampling Worksheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1j9rLmnlElA8__jVGt9KbZIQ0xNKgmt07/edit?usp=drivesdk&ouid=100396055249480380329&rtpof=true&sd=true

Questions about a specific setup? Contact your regulatory authority or [email protected].

08/13/2026

We are in full swing planning for our Annual Conference this year and are now accepting session proposals.

We invites subject matter experts, farmers, food makers, market leaders, educators, community partners, and industry professionals to submit session proposals for the 2026 MFMA Annual Conference held virtually on December 3-4th, 2026.

This year’s conference theme, “Growing Strong Together: Building Resilient Markets in a Changing Landscape,” recognizes that farmers, food makers, farmers’ markets, and local food systems are navigating an increasingly complex environment. From extreme weather and rising costs to changing customer habits, workforce challenges, new technologies, food access, and evolving community needs, resilience has never been more important.

The conference will bring together farmers, food makers, market managers, vendors, educators, community partners, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and local food leaders to exchange ideas, share practical knowledge, strengthen relationships, and explore strategies for building resilient markets and businesses across Minnesota and the Tribal Nations.

Proposals are due by September 11th.

Submit a proposal today: https://forms.gle/kVDtT2TsNnnr5WxD8

Have questions or wondering about how you can contribute? Email Pa Thao, our Comms Director at [email protected].

08/10/2026

Make Your Voice Count: Vote in Minnesota's Primary Election️
Primary Election Day is tomorrow, Tuesday, August 11.

Farmers' markets are shaped by the decisions made at every level of government from investments in local agriculture and food access to community development, infrastructure, and small business support. While MFMA is a nonpartisan organization, we encourage all eligible voters to exercise their right to vote and help shape the future of the communities we serve.

Whether you're a farmer, vendor, market manager, volunteer, or loyal market shopper, your voice matters. Participating in elections is one way we can all help support strong local communities and a thriving local food system.

Not sure where to vote or what's on your ballot? The Minnesota Secretary of State's MNVotes website makes it easy to:

✅Check your voter registration
✅Find your polling place
✅View your sample ballot

Learn about voting options and key election dates, visit: MNVotes.org

Thank you for being an engaged member of your community and for helping build a stronger Minnesota both at the farmers' market and at the ballot box.

08/09/2026

What a beautiful week of Growing Strong Together!

As National Farmers' Market Week 2026 comes to a close, we want to take a moment to simply say: thank you.

Thank you to the farmers who plant, grow, harvest, and bring the abundance of their farms to our communities week after week.

Thank you to the vendors and food producers who share their talents, traditions, and incredible products.

Thank you to the market managers and volunteers whose work often begins long before the first customer arrives and continues well after the market closes.

Thank you to our community partners, sponsors, local organizations, and leaders who invest their time and resources in helping farmers' markets flourish.

And thank you to every shopper who shows up, fills a basket, meets a farmer, tries something new, brings a friend, and chooses to support local. You are an essential part of what makes farmers' markets thrive.

We're especially grateful for our nine Regional Spotlight Markets, who represented communities from across Minnesota during this year's celebration. We hope your markets were filled with beautiful moments today—good food, joyful connections, new and familiar faces, and plenty of reasons to celebrate the people who make your markets so special.

While National Farmers' Market Week may be ending, the work and the celebratio doesn't stop here.

Every market day is another opportunity to support a farmer, strengthen a small business, nourish a family, welcome a neighbor, and invest in the places we call home.

This year's theme, "Growing Strong Together: Growing Farmers. Growing Markets. Growing Communities", was chosen because thriving local food systems aren't built by any one person. They're built through relationships, collaboration, resilience, and people choosing to show up for one another.

Thank you for showing up. Thank you for growing with us. And thank you for making Minnesota's farmers' markets places where food, connection, and community can thrive.

Address

308 East Prince Street
Nerstrand, MN
55101

Telephone

+15076649446

Website

http://www.mfma.org/

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