AgSouth Farm Credit Awards $25,000 in Grant Funds to Farmers Markets - 2017
STATESBORO, GA – March 19, 2017: AgSouth Farm Credit Marketing Director Christy Smith has released the names of the recipients of AgSouth’s Think Outside the Store® farmers market grant. The Association is distributing $25,000 in grant funds to local markets throughout AgSouth’s territory to use for advertising and promotion.
Fifty markets in AgSouth’s territory in Georgia and South Carolina will receive $500 each in funds to promote their venues.
Georgia Grant Recipients:
Appling County Farmers Market, Appling County
Statesboro Main St Farmers Market, Bulloch County
Forsyth Farmers' Market, Chatham County
Douglas-Coffee County Curb Market, Coffee County
Coweta County Farmer's Market, Coweta County
Decatur Farmers Market, DeKalb County
Grant Park Farmers Market, DeKalb County
Peachtree Rd Farmers Market, DeKalb County
Farmers Market in the Bubble, Fayette County
Fairburn Farmers Market, Fulton County
Lilburn Farmers Market, Gwinnett County
Norcross Community Market, Gwinnett County
Henry County Farmers Market, Henry County
Market on the Square, Jasper County
Oconee Farmers Market, Oconee County
Market on Maple, Screven County
Fairgrounds Farmers Market, Spalding County
Sims Pond Farms Farm Day Market, Troup County
Monroe Farmers Market, Walton County
WayGreen Local Fare Market, Ware County
Wayne County Farmers Market, Wayne County
South Carolina Grant Recipients:
Abbeville Farmers Market, Abbeville County
Aiken County Farmers Market, Aiken County
Anderson County Farmers Market, Anderson County
City of Barnwell Farmers Market, Barnwell County
Farmers Market of Bluffton, Beaufort County
Lowcountry Street Grocery, Charleston County
Gaffney Station Farmers Market, Cherokee County
Chester Farmers and Artisans Market, Chester County
Colleton Museum & Farmers Market, Colleton County
Summerville Farmers Market, Dorchester County
Johnston Farmers Market, Edgefield County
TD Saturday Market, Greenville County
Traveler's Rest Farmers Market, Greenville County
Greenwood Farmers Market, Greenwood County
Lancaster County Farmers Market, Lancaster County
Fountain Inn Farmers Market, Laurens County
Eat Fresh Urban Produce & Seafood Market, Lexington County
McCormick Farmers' Market, McCormick County
Grow Newberry Farmers Market, Newberry County
Foothills Heritage Market, Oconee County
Downtown Orangeburg Farmers Market, Orangeburg County
Clemson Farmers Market for Pickens Co., Pickens County
Clemson Sandhill Farmers Market, Richland County
Healthy Carolina Farmers Market, Richland County
Ridge Spring Farmers Market , Saluda County
Hub City Farmers Market-Magnolia Train Depot, Spartanburg County
Landrum Farmers Market, Spartanburg County
Union County Farm & Craft Market, Union County
Catawba Fresh Market, York County
According to Smith, "To be eligible to receive a grant, applicants had to provide a detailed marketing plan describing how they would use the grant funds to promote the market. We received many applications with some very creative marketing plans, and it was very hard for our selection committee to choose among the many excellent applications we received."
She explained that, "Many farmers get their start selling to local markets. Our grant program was designed to support these farmers by helping to create public awareness of how choosing to shop at your local farmers market benefits not only a community’s health, but also its economy, much in the same way our own patronage program [the cooperative’s profit sharing program] benefits not only our members, but the communities we serve. This year we were able to support markets in 44 of the counties we serve. This is the seventh year we have been supporting our local markets, and we’re proud to continue that support."
AgSouth Farm Credit provides loans for land, equipment and production agriculture; crop insurance; leasing; and home mortgages. The association is headquartered in Statesboro, Ga.
For more information about AgSouth or this announcement, please contact Marketing Director Christy Smith at 912-764-9091 or email CSmith@AgSouthFC.com.