Mission The Farmers Market Alliance is committed to building vibrant farmers’ markets thereby supporting and ensuring economically sustainable small farms.

The objectives of the Farmers Market Alliance are to:

• Build a strong, collaborative network of farmers’ market throughout western Pennsylvania
• Improve market management
• Improve vendors’ marketing skills
• Facilitate cost-savings for market vendors
• Provide direct opportunities for local farmers to learn from other farmers and experts—locally and nationally
• Enable small farmers to sell their products profitably
• Build consumers’ appreciation of local, fresh and seasonal foods
• Promote farmers’ markets within all demographic groups with a particular focus on young consumers and families
• Enhance public support for farmers’ markets

The FMA WPA will serve their member markets through:

• Promotion: Bushels of Fun, a promotional program of member markets’ special events during autumn that includes brochures, posters, photos, special features in local newspapers, radio, and television, activities and other market support.
• Web Site: a web-site for each market and weekly email to the market’s customers.
• Insurance and associated benefits: group rates for vendors and markets.
• Education: annual one-day workshop to be held in southwestern Pennsylvania providing training specifically selected to meet the members’ priority concerns.
• Advocacy: encourage local, state and national financial and regulatory support for farmers’ markets.
• Management Assistance: one-to-one advice and information provided per request to help markets grow and resolve problems. Up to 3 hours of consulting service is available to each market per year as a membership benefit; additional consulting offered for a fee.

Membership is open to the following groups:

• Farmers’ Markets: multi-vendor public market places primarily selling fresh foods produced by the people who have grown, gathered, raised, or caught them.
• Farmers’ Market Organizations: organizations representing and/or sponsoring 1 or more markets that fit the definition of a farmers’ market.
• Sponsors: individuals and/or organizations that support the mission and goals of the Farmers Market Alliance.

Board of Directors:

• Jane Dillner, President
• Art King, Vice President
• Beth Marshal, Secretary Treasurer
• Rita Pollock, Executive Director
  
  
• Paul Sarver, Central Westmoreland Farmers Market Association
• Marcy Tudor, Avella Farmers Market
• Beth Marshall, Farmers@Firehouse
• Art King, Harvest Valley Farm
• Bob Ambrose, Ligonier County Market
• Steve Dettinger, Main Street Market, Washington, PA
• Alice Sjolander, Meadville Market House
• Jane Dillner, Mt. Lebanon Lions Club Farmers Market
• Cindy Cassell, Neighbors in the Strip
• Lew Villotti, Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission
• Duane Ashley, City of Pittsburgh
• Karla Owens, Bloomfield Business Association
• Maggie Robertson, Clarion County Farmers Market
• Lucinda Hart-Gonzalez, Coolspring Farmers Market
• John O’Conner, Etna Farmers Market
• Jim Resh, Indiana County Farmers Market
• Kim Pierson, The Farmers Market at Pine Community Park
• Mike Berchok, Pleasant Hills Lions Club Farmers Market
• Lisa Pritchard, Olde Town Grove City Farmers Market
• Larry Cogan, Somerset County Farmers Market
• Suellen Rust, Tionesta Farmers Market
• Judy Vrabel, Uniontown Farmers Market
• Chris Cheronis, Warren Farmers Market
• John McElhinny, Wilkinsburg Farmers Market
• Rob Baran, East End Food Co-op
• Jim and Sandi Christoff