There are many reasons collecting information about your farmers' market, farm stand, CSA, or mobile market is a good idea, and the NMFMA requires annual market data submissions from all member markets.
With market data, you can:
Measure your promotional efforts and make changes based on what works and what doesn't
Use sales and customer information to attract vendors
Show the local community, businesses, and government the impact of your market to garner their support
Evaluate your market schedule based on customer counts to determine if your market season should be shortened or extended, or if your market days should change
Every year, the NMFMA collects and compiles information from member farmers' markets, farm stands, CSAs, and mobile markets about customer and vendor counts, sales, fees, and more. This information is critical for showing the growth of markets and the impact they have on their communities and local agriculture. We share this information with member outlets to help them self-evaluate and improve, as well as with legislators to garner support for markets around the state. Collecting data about your farmers' market or farm stand is an excellent exercise in evaluating your market and measuring its growth over time.
Note: These surveys are required to be completed by all NMFMA member farmers' markets, mobile markets, farm stands, and CSAs that receive grant funding (including promotional funds) from the NMFMA and/or those who participate in the Double Up Food Bucks program.
Resources for Member Markets:
Starting & Sustaining Farmers' Markets
We created a "How-To" Guide for market data collection for Farmers’ Markets to make it easier for managers to collect data throughout the season in preparation for filling out the market data form by December 31, 2025. In addition, for farmers’ market managers specifically, we have also prepared a Market Data Survey Helper in Excel. The Survey Helper is an optional resource that you can use that could be helpful in filling out the Market Data Survey for Farmers’ Markets.
Farmers’ Market managers can download their "How-To" Guide here and the optional Survey Helper (Excel format) here.
Submitting the Market Data Survey for Farmers' Markets
Collecting Market Data - Farm Stands, CSA's, and Mobile Markets
We have created a "How-To" Guide for market data collection for Farmers’ Markets to make it easier for managers to collect data throughout the season in preparation for filling out the market data form by December 31, 2025.
Farm Stand, CSA, and Mobile Market managers can access their "How-To" Guide here.
Submitting the Market Data Survey for Farm Stands, CSA's, and Mobile Markets
