Farmer S Markets with University of Maryland Medical Center

Farmer’s Markets with University of Maryland Medical Center

What works, what doesn't - yet!

Sharing Call Date: August 15, 2011

Speaker: Denise Choiniere, Sustainability Manager of University of Maryland Medical Center

Presenter: Denise Chenoire, Sustainability Manager, University of Maryland Medical Center

Handouts: Presentation and Farmer’s Market Rules (developed with Legal Dept.)

Goal of a Market - Access to fresh, local foods and foods that put less risk to human health during food production. Another goal is to support local farmers. Keeping it local is the priority. Inova gives a double coupon that if the food stamp value is used at their hospital, they’ll double the value and this is added to community benefit.

What has gone well – Six vendors increased to 15. Space and parking keeps it small. Baltimore city and state help with advertising about the market. Accept WIC and Senior coupons but don’t have Food Stamps just yet. Food stamps used to be a coupon but now it’s a debit program with an actual card. You have to apply and be approved to accept it. Reported in community benefit report. Community is picking up on it. Community outreach tables are promoting alternative transportation. Parks throughout the city are promoting. Green team members help with the market, University of Maryland helps with parking, senior housing is asking about how to get there, asking about coupons, think it’s picking up, getting some recognition and received an award from EPA and speaking at FoodMed. Invited to Governors “buy local” challenge. 17 hospitals in Maryland are hosting farmer’s markets. The market has been very rewarding.

Challenges – Marketing the market is constant. Need to keep it fresh. People come to get lunch and then they leave without buying produce. Space is a problem. Can’t see it from the hospital. They are across the street. Security is an issue. Vendors can’t sell out of their trucks, have to set up a table. Getting food stamps accepted took a while. If they could accept food stamps it would really help. It takes a lot of time. The weather – if it rains, it is an ongoing challenge. Kick off worked well but it has been more challenging to keep the interest there. Nutrition department has been providing recipes at the market. Community outreach tables have been set up at farmer’s market. Challenging to keep on top of rules all the time. TIPS:

 Takes time, don’t underestimate the time to manage the farmers. Can take up to three years to fully establish a farmers market.

 Education is critical to explain benefit of local sourcing of food, difference between local and organic.

 Develop a mission – U. of Maryland is that it’s in a “food desert” but a suburban facility might have a different challenge – who is attending, who needs to be educated and supporting local growers and healthy practices.

 Markets vary on geographic location – what grows in region

 Make the connection – lowering health care costs through improving nutrition for staff.

 Many farmers’ markets do charge for percent of earnings. A vendor with prepared foods pays an even higher fee. Some charge $1,000 for a spot. This should be considered because it could require staff time to keep the market going and thriving.

 Education around seasonal eating and forming habits around it and help in identifying ways to can or extend the season or greenhouse use.

 Consider buying some produce for hospital use.

 Connect with county to see if there is a contact for technical assistance and regional support.

 Promote the event through cooking demos.

 Some wellness initiatives in hospitals are writing in policies for nurses to get time for lunch and pushing staff to have healthier work environments, take time off and are structured for market enjoyment.

 Learn more about Healthy Food in Health Care at www.healthyfoodinhealthcare.org and visit Foodmed at www.foodmed.org.

 Find Farmers – Contact Department of Agriculture, www.localharvest.org and visit other farmers markets.

Recommendation of Group – Add language to PGH Awards questions in food section to learn more about Farmer’s Markets. Are they year round, do they charge the farmer, do they lower costs so the underserved can afford the healthier food choices, does the hospital buy food from the farmers. Janet to follow up with Award Director. U of Maryland and Maryland H2E are also going to work on a business plan to see if they can start charging the farmer’s to sell their produce which would support the labor needed to manage the project.

Participants: Parkland Medical Center, NH, (HCA), Ascension Health (2), St. Vincent Medical Center, MA (Vanguard), Metro Health, Spectrum Health, MI, Harborview, Northern Michigan, Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital, Maryland H2E, Health Partners, MN, Advocate Health System, IL., Royal University Hospital Saskatoon Health Region, Canada. A few others joined during call and were not documented.

Respectfully submitted;

Janet Brown