Our Story
In 2022, the directors of three Connecticut based farmers’ markets identified the need for the state to have its own Farmers’ Market Association.
How It All Started
The idea for the Connecticut Farmers Market Association began with a simple observation shared by the directors of three Connecticut farmers’ markets: while farmers’ markets across the state faced many of the same challenges, they lacked a unified organization dedicated to supporting their success.
Over the past several years, those conversations expanded beyond the original group. Market Masters from across Connecticut, along with representatives from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture and the Connecticut Food System Alliance, shared successful strategies and common challenges to help shape the basis for our statewide association.
What emerged was a clear consensus. Farmers’ markets, farms, small businesses, and state partners all recognized the need for a central organization advocating on behalf of markets, providing practical resources, fostering collaboration, and ultimately strengthening the local food system. The same priorities surfaced time and again, confirming that the need was both real and widespread.
The creation of the Connecticut Farmers Market Association is a direct response to this shared vision. By bringing markets together under a common banner, the Association is positioned to address immediate needs while building the future partnerships, resources, and leadership necessary to support Connecticut’s farmers’ markets for years to come.