AgSouth Farm Credit Awards $25,000 in Grant Funds to Farmers Markets - 2021

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.

Twenty-three Georgia markets and 27 South Carolina markets within AgSouth’s territory will receive $500 each in funds to promote their venues.

Georgia Grant Recipients:

Appling County Farmers Market – Appling Co., Ga.
Avondale Estates Farmers Market – DeKalb Co., Ga.
Conyers Locally Grown – Newton Co., Ga.
Cotton Mill Farmers Market – Carroll Co., Ga.
Coweta Farmers Market – Coweta Co., Ga.
Decatur Farmers Market – DeKalb Co., Ga.
East Atlanta Village Farmers Market – DeKalb Co., Ga.
Fairgrounds Farmers Market – Spalding Co., Ga.
Forsyth Farmers Market – Monroe Co., Ga.
Forsyth Farmers Market – Chatham Co., Ga.
Henry County Farmers Market – Henry Co., Ga.
Jonesboro Farmers Market – Clayton Co., Ga.
Lilburn Farmers Market – Gwinnett Co., Ga.
Monroe Farmers Market – Walton Co., Ga.
Norcross Community Market, Gwinnett Co., Ga.
Oconee Farmers Market – Fayette Co., Ga.
Peachtree City Farmers Market – Fayette Co., Ga.
Peachtree Road Farmers Market – Fulton Co., Ga.
Ponce City Farmers Market – Fulton Co., Ga.
Main Street Statesboro Farmers Market – Bulloch Co., Ga.
The Market on Maple – Screven Co., Ga.
WayGreen Local Fare Market – Ware Co., Ga.
Wayne County Farmers Market – Wayne Co., Ga.

South Carolina Grant Recipients:

Aiken County Farmers Market – Aiken Co., S.C.
Allendale Farmers Market – Allendale Co., S.C.
Anderson County Farmers Market – Anderson Co., S.C.
Chester Farmers and Artisans Market – Chester Co., S.C.
Clemson Farmers Market – Pickens Co., S.C.
Clemson Sandhill Farmers Market – Richland Co., S.C.
Colleton Museum and Farmers Market – Colleton Co., S.C.
Easley Farmers Market – Pickens Co., S.C.
Fairfield Farmers and Artisans Market – Fairfield Co., S.C.
Farmers Market of Bluffton – Beaufort Co., S.C.
Foothills Heritage Market – Oconee Co., S.C.
Gaffney Station Farmers Market – Cherokee Co., S.C.
Greenwood Farmers Market – Greenwood Co., S.C.
Greer Farmers Market – Greenville/Spartanburg Co., S.C.
Healthy Carolina Farmers Market – Richland Co., S.C.
Hub City Farmers Market – Spartanburg Co., S.C.
Lancaster County Farmers Market – Lancaster Co., S.C.
Landrum Farmers Market – Spartanburg Co., S.C.
Main Street Laurens Farmers Market – Laurens Co., S.C.
Monks Corner Farmers Market – Berkeley Co., S.C.
Old Town Market – York Co., S.C.
Ridge Spring Farmers Market – Saluda Co., S.C.
Sea Pines Farmers Market – Beaufort Co., S.C.
The City of Barnwell Farmers Market – Barnwell Co., S.C.
Travelers Rest Farmers Market – Greenville Co., S.C.
Union County Farmers Market – Union Co., S.C.
York Downtown Farmers Market – York Co., S.C.

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 young 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 is the sixth 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.