A Farmers Market Metrics Overview

The Challenge

Market Managers already wrangle lots of data from day to day. Why isn’t there a solution that streamlines a managers’ administrative operations, and also translates that data into meaningful information that managers can use to support and grow their markets?

The Solution

We know that markets have limited resources and time, so Metrics was built around the way markets operate. Combining daily market operations with data management and automated analysis empowers market managers to speak confidently about the impacts of their market, all while saving time on market operations.

What is it?

 

The Farmers Market Coalition worked with market and research partners to develop a complete evaluation & data communication system for farmers markets, known as Farmers Market Metrics (Metrics). Metrics is driven by the need for efficient farmers market management tools, that can also serve to streamline grant reporting. The scalable and customizable system is intended to maximize the utility of, and build upon data already collected by market management, while facilitating the communication of market impacts to customers, vendors, funders and other stakeholders.

The Farmers Market Metrics online platform, training guides, tools, and reports are currently being used by regional and statewide networks of markets. As of April 2018, we’re pleased to offer FarmersMarketMetrics.org accounts, data collection and communication training, and support to individual farmers markets.

Who uses it?

There are three types of users in FM Metrics:

 

 

  • Vendors: They can create robust demographic profiles, and report sales to markets they attend. In instances where vendors are uninterested in engaging with the site, market managers can create and manage profiles on behalf of vendors.
  • Market Operating Organizations: They can create market profiles, assign vendors to markets, track and analyze any and all market-related data. These users are the keepers of the data, and they choose whom to share their data with.
  • Networks: These are state associations, research institutions, or other stakeholders that have an interest in researching or tracking market operations and trends at a high level. They have view-only access to data which their partner markets have chosen to share.

How does it work?

Farmers Market Metrics strives to share data to maximize impact, while also respecting the privacy of individual constituents of the farmers market industry.

Data input by a vendor is shared with their market managers. Market managers can view and edit vendor profile and sales data for those vendors that choose not to engage with the system.

Markets can choose to join a Metrics Network, such as their State Association, or a research partner they’ve agreed to share data with. That market’s data is then aggregated, anonymized, and shared with that Network.

Markets are able to revoke access to their data at any time with the click of a button.