The permanent Farmers’ Market – the Fair Board would like to host it….

Last night the Town Council had the siting of a permanent Farmer’s Market on its agenda. One piece of news – which should be a pretty big chunk of the discussion – is that the Fair Board would rather see it at the Fairgrounds. Well, yeah.

Here’s more from Josephine Bangs, who sent this along on behalf of the Board:

Permanent Farmers Market at the Fairgrounds

There have been several requests to the Fair Board regarding the position of the Board on the Permanent Farmers Market.  The following is presented here as public information to clarify our position.

The Fair Board and Management (Fair) are very supportive of a Permanent Farmers Market (PFM) in our community.  The Fair Board considers the fairgrounds as an ideal location for the PFM as it fits with the traditional and current mission of the fairgrounds.

Part of the Aims and Purposes of the Fair is to promote agriculture and rural living.  In this regard the Fair Board would like to see a PFM that has a primary focus on locally produced farm goods and products.  This would constitute the financial foundation for the PFM and help create a sustainable organization. Budgeting for a partnership between the Fair and the PFM would have to be sustainable for both parties. The issues of local farm stability, sustainability, food security, and emergency preparedness would be basic goals.

Although the Fairgrounds is a third choice on the list of options, the operational sustainability of the PFM at the fairgrounds has not been seriously discussed with the Fair by any of the organizing groups.  A draft Operating Budget for the PFM at the fairgrounds was developed and presented by the PFM Project Manager.  However, the fees for the PFM in this draft budget were based on the standard facility rental rates (i.e. for one time events in the Main Exhibit Building).  The Fair Board, however, has consistently expressed interest in having the PFM at the fairgrounds on a “partnership” basis.  It has always been our position that the long term financial viability of both organizations would have to be considered in any agreement. There are many ways in which a “partnership” could benefit both organizations and significantly cut costs for the PFM while bringing a valuable community asset to the fairgrounds.

The Fair Board recognizes the desirability to also have local arts, crafts and on-site edible food vendors as part of the PFM vendor mix. These vendors are an attractive draw and add to the overall positive experience of attending farmers markets. These types of vendors are a significant factor in promoting and attracting tourism.

The Fair Board and management are available for comment and discussion regarding the establishment of a PFM at the fairgrounds with any of the organizing groups or other interested parties.

San Juan County Fair Board

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