Greenfield Farmers Market Nutrition Education OutreachSubmitted to: USDA Farmers market Promotion Program

Date: August 14, 2014

Jessica ElkinsGreenfield Farmers Market Committee MemberGreenfield Farmers Market7325 West Forest Home AvenueGreenfield, WI 53220(414) 329-5261

Executive Summary

The Greenfield Farmers Market (GFFM) requests a $90,000 grant from the USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program to support a salary for a Market Program Coordinator, which will allow the market to create an education program for patrons.

The GFFM was started in 2013 by the Greenfield Health Department, aiming to provide healthy, local products to the community. Health Department employees began to hear questions such as, “Where is all of the fruit?” during the off-season, “What is this?” to a lot of different vegetables on the farmers’ tables, or “What do you do with this?” It was clear patrons needed education regarding a farmers market, but also education focused on healthy foods.

The objectives of the following proposal will bring a unique quality to the Greenfield Farmers Market. The market will provide quality nutrition education materials, health education sessions, and the tools for adults and their families to use this information to improve their well-being.

Needs Statement

With the local food movement growing steadily, Wisconsin has made a strong statement with being the state with the eighth most farmers markets, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Patrons can’t resist the delicious bakery, local restaurants, cheese, and local produce. However, local farmers have discovered part of the challenge is getting market-goers to understand the nature of fruits and vegetables, including local growing seasons, identifying different kinds of produce, and how to use them. According to the CDC’s State Indicator Report on Fruits and Vegetables, Wisconsin adults’ median intake of fruits per day is 1.1 and vegetables per day is 1.5, while 35.6 % admit to eating less than one fruit a day and 26% less than one vegetable per day (2013).

Where does an average Wisconsin adult receive nutrition education? The Wisconsin Nutrition Education Network and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) provide nutrition education for low-income households. However, where do other adults receive accurate, easily accessible information regarding healthy eating?

According to the World Health Organization’s Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases Report, “Improving diets and increasing levels of physical activity in adults and older people will reduce chronic disease risks for death and disability” (2003). It is imperative to begin promoting programs that encourage adults to eat more fruits and vegetables, which in turn reduces the risk of chronic diseases and encourages their families to eat accordingly. The Greenfield Farmers Market (GFFM) works diligently to provide educational elements within the market to better inform patrons of what uncommon fruits and vegetables are, nutritional information, and how to easily eat and cook them.

Objectives

1. Provide quality nutrition education materials to adults on regular basis.

2. Incorporate education sessions at the market on a weekly basis.

3. Develop a position to dedicate to creating an education program within the farmers market.

Methods

1. We want to provide educational materials, including, but not limited to brochures, pamphlets, market-created recipe books, and a newsletter. The print and web newsletter will keep constant contact with patrons throughout the market season, and will include a vegetable of the month and correlating recipes, interviews with local farmers, and nutrition-focused information.

A basic “product of the week” board was used in the 2014 season, and needs updating. This board is currently advertised on a sandwich board. We want to upgrade with a more permanent structure at the market, much like a park board with waterproof capabilities. If waterproof, the information can remain up for people in the park on non-market days as well.

2. We want to provide an education session on a weekly basis, which will vary each week to attract the interest of different market-goers based upon their interests. First, an interest evaluation will be distributed at the market during the 2014 market season, asking patrons their interest level in different nutrition-related activities. Based upon the findings, the GFFM plans to reach out to qualified vendors to offer educational presentations and interactive programs for the 2015 season. Some educational sessions will include food demos, dieticians focused on one specific topic, chiropractors focusing on one aspect of health, on-site health assessments, and a farmer teaching about uncommon products.

The 2015 season is 25 weeks long, spanning from May through October (with the exception of Memorial Day weekend).

3. We want to hire a Farmers Market Program Coordinator to organize the educational sessions, purchase materials, and continue to further the program with innovative ideas.

Staffing/Administration

The GFFM staff currently includes three full-time Greenfield Health Department employees, each with split duties for the health department and farmers market, and an on-site market attendant.

The three health department employees make up Greenfield Farmers Market Committee, which makes all final decisions regarding the market, including marketing, policies and procedures, vendor participation, and any disciplinary actions.

Program staff members are also currently responsible for:

Recruiting new vendors and communicating with current vendors regarding market happenings, events, and any policies that need to be clarified or introduced.

Facilitating all marketing strategies, including print media, media outlets, social media, and other opportunities that arise.

Reaching out to local businesses to provide support by sharing marketing information on-site, on the web, or otherwise.

Evaluation of the market’s progress, including attendance counts, surveys from patrons, and survey information from vendors.

Creating the basic nutrition education communication pieces currently provided.

Program Evaluation

The Greenfield Farmers Market currently evaluates its growth and effectiveness in several ways. Each week, the on-site market attendant does an hourly count of the attendance at the market, and weighs any factors that may or may not affect this attendance at the market on that day, including other events in the area, weather, etc. The GFFM also has a promotion for a frequent shopper’s card, so we are able to determine at the end of each market season how many regular market-goers attend the market 80% of the season or more. The GFFM also regularly finds different ways to survey the market-goers, including a basic survey at the information booth that we request people fill out when they stop at the booth. This survey rates several different aspects of the market, including vendor mix, product quality,

atmosphere, and more. Also, on specific events a different survey is distributed to patrons. For example, during the Mid-Season Celebration, we had a free drawing for vendor-donated prizes. One the ticket patrons filled out to win, they were asked several brief questions regarding demographics, attendance, and satisfaction with the market atmosphere.

Our plan to evaluate the proposed nutrition education program will include:

Continuing attendance counts for the market as a whole and begin attendance counts for the program activities each week.

Count number of print materials that are given out each week. Count the number of print newsletters that go each week and have a visit count on the website

that will house the web version. Also, the newsletter will include a “response” section to get community members involved. The response section will include opportunity for feedback, but also recommendations for upcoming newsletter pieces, a health or nutrition topic one may be interested in learning more about, or other related information.

Provide evaluations/surveys for patrons to fill out at the end of each program activity.

We will know we have been successful if:

Overall attendance increases by 10%. Distribute all of print material by end of market season (25 weeks). By the end of the 2015 season, distribute 500 print newsletters and have a count of 1,000

viewers per newsletter. Receive positive feedback from evaluations/surveys from patrons.

Sustainability

For the 2015 season, the Market Program Coordinator will be provided a 27 hour/week position to get the program started and running smoothly. For the 2016 season, the position will go in front of the Greenfield Common Council and be proposed as a part-time, seasonal position within the city.

With a year’s worth of professional organizations working with the Coordinator in program activities, the GFFM will focus on receiving sponsorship from a health organization located in Greenfield, such as Froedtert or Aurora clinics. Also, the 2015 season will create a following of market-goers that will attract health-focused businesses to come to the market to outreach patrons. This will allow the GFFM to have free services offered at the market by health-focused organizations.

Budget

Item Description CostMarket Program Coordinator 27 hour/week position $40,000Materials Permanent park board, newsletter costs,

literature$15,000

Advertising Radio and/or TV commercial, permanent sign at market advertising program activities

$10,000

Program Activities Paid vendors on-site, special events, on-site health assessments

$25,000

Organizational Information

The Greenfield Farmers Market began as part of a Community Health Improvement Plan created by the Greenfield Health Department and Mayoral initiative in 2013. The GFFM is located in Konkel Park, 5151 West Layton Avenue, in the City Market space, with approximately 50 -60 vendors each year. Vendors include verified local farmers, bakery, ready-to-eat food, and many specialty products. The average patron attendance is 1,800-2,500 people per week.

The GFFM is one of the largest of the many programs run by the Greenfield Health Department.

The Greenfield Farmers Market Mission

The Greenfield Farmers Market supports local growers and provides a relaxed, educational and fun community gathering place. It aims to improve access to fresh, healthy foods & locally produced goods.

The mission of the GFFM aligns with the mission of the Greenfield Health Department.

The Greenfield Health Department Mission

The mission of the Greenfield Health Department is to assure optimal health and wellness of all members of the community through protection, promotion, education, enforcement and partnership.

The Greenfield Health Department provides a variety of programs and services to meet our mission to protect and promote the health of all members of the Greenfield community. With this thought in mind the Greenfield Health Department is committed to community health and wellness. The Greenfield Health Department provides programs and services in multiple areas, including communicable disease control, childhood and adult immunizations, restaurant and retail food inspections, community health education and outreach, emergency preparedness.

Current Programs

With public health issues of obesity, chronic disease, and food and nutrition, the Greenfield Health Department has created programs to work to improve the health of the community. Our core programs include:

Communicable Disease Program – Public Health Nurses investigate any reportable communicable disease and work to control the spread of the disease.

Blood Pressure Assessment – Public Health Nurses offer free blood pressure screenings, and provide education regarding maintaining an acceptable number.

Get Healthy, Greenfield! – Staff created a Community Health Improvement Plan for 2012-2016. This plan was created by assessing health data to determine the most important focuses for Greenfield residents. For the current plan, the 5 priorities include: nutrition, physical activity, chronic disease, injury and violence, and mental health.

Food and water safety – The Environmental Health Specialist works to ensure food safety standards are maintained within businesses in Greenfield, and provides inspections on a regular basis.

Conclusion

The Greenfield Farmers Market is looking to provide more than just local products and a comfortable atmosphere for our patrons. While the access to farmers markets and local food continues to rise, we are interested in taking the next step. We want to educate, engage, and empower our community to work toward a well lifestyle – starting with healthy food.