Released March 20, 2008

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Operating an Efficient Farmers' Market will be held at six Indiana locations to help inform market operators and vendors about Indiana's food handling regulations, alternative payment programs, and recent trends.

The Purdue University workshop will give an overview of state regulations for food handling presented by the Indiana Board of Health and the Indiana Board of Animal Health, as well as updates on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, also known as WIC. In addition, results from a farmers' market survey and pricing study conducted by Purdue University will be shared.

The federal program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture provides supplemental foods, health care referrals and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five who are found to be at nutritional risk.

"Farmers' markets can be a part of this program by providing fresh produce to participants," said Jennifer Dennis, Purdue Extension specialty crop marketing specialist. "However, both the market organizer and vendor have to attend a brief training session to become certified to accept WIC vouchers."

The WIC program can be a very important customer base for farmers' markets, Dennis said.

Market operators and vendors wanting to know more can find a brochure and registration form online at http://www.agecon.purdue.edu/extension/programs/farmers_markets_workshops.asp. Registration costs $25 and includes workshop materials and snacks. The workshop will begin at 8 a.m. with registration and refreshments and will adjourn at 12:30 p.m.

Workshops will be held:

• April 3 in Butlerville at the Southeast Purdue Agriculture Center located at 4425 E. County Road 350 N. Registration is due March 24.
• April 4 in LaGrange at the LaGrange County Office Building located at 114 W. Michigan St., Suite 10. Registration is due March 25.
• April 11 in Crown Point at the Purdue Extension office in Lake County located at 880 E. 99th Court, Suite A. Registration is due April 1.
• April 24 in Boonville at the Warrick County Fairgrounds 4-H Center located at 133 E. Old Degonia Road. Registration is due April 14.
• May 12 in Greencastle at the Putnam County Fairgrounds, Harris Hall, located at 67 US Hwy 231. Registration is due April 30.
• May 16 in Bedford at the Purdue Extension office in Lawrence County located at 92 16th St. Registration is due May 1.

The workshops are sponsored by the Indiana Cooperative Development Center, Purdue Small Farms Team, Purdue Extension, New Ventures Team and the Department of Agricultural Economics.

For questions and more information, contact Jennifer Dennis at (765) 494-9812 or jhdennis@purdue.edu.

-30-

http://news.uns.purdue.edu/x/2008a/080320DennisFarmersmrkts.html

Contacts: Julie Douglas, (765) 496-1050, douglajk@purdue.edu

Jennifer Dennis, (765) 494-9812, jhdennis@purdue.edu