National Farmers Market Week – Give Back NY

This year National Farmers Market Week falls on August 2 – 8. While we have not promoted a statewide event in the past, we think that this year it is important to do so. We want to show our appreciation to the general public for their great support of farmers markets and local food since this COVID Pandemic began. As a thank you to our communities, we are promoting Give Back NY, a statewide food donation program.

We are reaching out to the state’s Food Banks to enlist their assistance and they have been overwhelmingly supportive. The goal is to have markets reach out to their local emergency food programs to come into the market during National Farmers Market Week. They can collect donations of food from consumers and farmers, do outreach to consumers in the market on their programs and the work they do. We will ask for donations to the food pantries in a number of ways:

• Consumers can bring shelf stable products to the market for donation. 

• Consumers can donate purchased local food from farmers/vendors at the market

• Consumers can donate dollars to the food programs to help them achieve their mission

• Farmers and vendors can donate to the food pantries at the end of the market day

We know that the amount collected may exceed an individual pantry’s needs. So we are asking them to share with other pantries or donate excess to their food bank to add to the Nourish NY food distribution programs that are being held throughout New York State.

We are acquiring lists of food pantries in the state and will share that information with you. We ask that you contact the food pantries in your area and make arrangements for them to join your market during National Farmers Market Week. (We will have already contacted them through the food banks so they will be aware of the opportunity.) If you cannot get a food pantry to set up in your market, perhaps you can designate a booth or table near your manager space to collect donations and make arrangements with a pantry to collect or receive these donations. Our hope is that you will be able to have at least one pantry in the market to be visible to consumers.

The Federation will create a series of Facebook posts and signs for you to use leading up to farmers market week. We will also send you a letter with the guidelines of the program and a list of emergency food programs in your area to contact.

We hope you will join us this year as we celebrate National Farmers Market Week, August 2 – 8, with Give Back NY!

Information for Farmers on the CoronaVirus Food Assistance Program
https://www.farmers.gov/cfap?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

FSA Programs in the Time of Coronavirus Producer Education Webinar
June 18, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. EDT

Join us as we discuss what producers should know to sign up for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) which ends August 28, 2020.  Also learn more about other FSA programs with producer flexibilities during COVID-19 and also a review of targeted funding for beginning and other underserved farmers and ranchers in other programs
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