The Brunswick Farmers Market visited the US Small Business Administration.

Izzy Ruffin sells wild Maine blueberries at the Brunswick Farmers Market for Lost and Found Farm. The Times Record / The Times Record

National Farmers Market Week On Tuesday, US Small Business Administration officials visited the Brunswick Market to discuss the role of farmers in the local economy and state plans to boost their business.

Business Administration New England Regional Administrator Mike Vlacic was among the officials who joined Congresswoman Chelly Pingree in Brunswick.

“The SBA is focused on increasing our services in rural communities to increase access to capital, export rural businesses, and increase the resilience of rural communities through small business development,” said Vlacic. By doing what we did today, we support events like National Farmers Market Week by visiting the Brunswick Farmers Market. We are here to showcase the great work they are doing to strengthen our local businesses and our economy.

National Farmers Market Week begins Sunday, August 7th. Farmers markets contribute $9 billion to the U.S. economy each year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Farmers Markets have quadrupled from less than 2,000 since 1994 to 8,600 this year, according to the Farmers Market Coalition.

“The SBA encourages small businesses to stay local by selling at farmers markets, because to build a truly strong economy, we need to embrace the principles of buying local, American-made products as much as possible,” Vlacic said. To do this, farmers’ markets are a great place to meet customers face-to-face and facilitate business relationships, especially with other vendors.

Through traditional loan programs, the Vlachic SBA provided $205 million to Maine small businesses last year.

With one in eight households in Maine considered food insecure, some families shy away from farmers markets because they think it’s too expensive.

Jimmy DeBiasi, executive director of the Maine Federation of Farmers Markets, said the agency in 2016 In 2015, they partnered with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, to break down this barrier by creating Maine Harvest Books.

Maine Harvest Bucks is a nutrition incentive program that allows SNAP/EBT users to buy more fruits and vegetables from local farmers by receiving “bonus dollars” when they shop at local farmers markets.

Izzy Ruffin, a Lost and Found farm worker, called their partnership with SNAP “awesome.”

“I really appreciate the expansion to highlight local foods and local growers,” Ruffin said. “As someone who grew up in a low-income family, I couldn’t imagine seeing my family being able to shop at the farmers market. Seeing other families being rewarded makes me happy as a farm worker and makes me feel more connected to the community.

Taking things a step further, MFFM is partnering with local businesses in 2019 to launch the Bumper Crops Program, where employers will offer gift certificates that can be redeemed at local farmers markets.

“Bumper Crops is a solution to workplace safety and employee appreciation for Maine employers of all sizes, promoting healthy local food and supporting Maine’s economy,” MFFM said.

Employers who issue certificates are paid for certificates returned at the end of the fiscal year.

Among employees who used the program, 63 percent said they ate more fruits and vegetables and 41 percent said they shopped at farmers markets. More than 700 employees participated, giving away over $30,000 in gift certificates at 36 different markets in Maine. Of those same consumers, 92 percent reported spending their own money, MFFM said.

Pingree emphasized the key role farmers markets play in the local economy this year.

“Many tourists come to Maine to eat our seafood and fresh produce and bring it home to cook,” she said. “Agriculture is truly a vital part of Maine’s economy.”

Congresswoman Chelly Pingree picks up strawberries from vendors at Fairwind Farms. The Times Record / The Times Record

Congresswoman Chelly Pingree (left) buys homemade pretzels from Steve Peters’ bakery Hootenanny. The Times Record / The Times Record

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