Support The Future of ILFMA

The Illinois Farmers Market Association (ILFMA) was founded on April 4, 2012. The primary goal of the association was the development and implementation of an association that would provide improved services, educational resources, and support to farmers, market managers, and local communities.

Since its establishment, ILFMA has brought greater awareness to local agriculture and improved access to fresh and local products, and specialty crops across the state.

Now, as we enter into the next decade, ILFMA remains committed to growing the farmers market community through the following objectives:

• To provide educational support for farmers market organizers, farmers, vendors and other community food and nutrition organizations through partnerships, resource-sharing, and training on best management practices, operating procedures, and state regulations through workshops, webinars, and various social marketing venues.
• To educate farmers market organizers, farmers, vendors, consumers and the general public on the health, economic, social and ecological benefits of providing and promoting access to locally grown products and craft production through the support of community-based markets.
• To facilitate networking, information sharing, policy discussion and planning among farmers market organizers, farmers, vendors, governmental agencies and other community food and nutrition organizations.
• To provide promotional assistance, build awareness and strengthen the farmers market customer base throughout the state by creating programs that enhance local food access for the public without regard to race, creed, national origin, age, gender, disability or ability to pay.
• To provide a unified voice for farmers markets by communicating the economic, health and social importance of farmers markets to farmers, consumers, civic leaders, and communities at large.