data driven advocacy: communica3ng the value of your market seminars and … · where fresh food is...

DataDrivenAdvocacy:Communica3ngtheValueofYourMarket

Nancy Staise, PhD & Helaine Harris The Historic Lewes Farmers Market

Lewes, Delaware, USA [email protected]

Volunteers(Currently 100+

volunteers)

Non-Profit Manages two producer only markets

(Wed & Sat open May thru Nov)

$900,000 in sales annually

(35+ farmer/producers)

54,000 customer visits annually

2020 2020

Volunteers(Currently 100+

volunteers)

Non-Profit Manages two producer only markets

(Wed & Sat open May thru Nov)

$900,000 in sales annually

(35+ farmer/producers)


2020 2020

Wherefreshfoodisrootedincommunity.

Volunteers(About 15 friends and

neighbors)

Non-Profit one market (Sat open May thru

November)

$89,000 sales annually(16 farmer/producers)


2006 2006

We are a community based, mission driven team working to support local sustainable agriculture and small businesses, protect the environment, and

educate our children about food and the land.

Our MIssion

The HLFM provides a family-friendly, community gathering place where consumers may purchase the freshest local foods available. It also provides alternative educational and marketing opportunities for emerging farmers and others to help create local and sustainable food systems that are environmentally sound, economically viable and socially responsible and which improve the variety, freshness, nutritional value and distribution of fresh foods to the community.

Mission isn’t always obvious to customers

Mission?Value?

I’mheretobuybread!

Overview ü Why is it hard to communicate

the value of a farmers market ü Complex & interconnected ü Collecting and using data ü  4 Steps communicating value

Challenges Describing the Value of Markets

SharedIssuesComplexityofOperaFonsOperateinalargerecosystemManyStakeholders

Missionnotobvioustoshoppers

It’s all connected…

HistoricLewesFarmersMarkets

Demand

• EducateConsumers

• Teachchildrenwherefoodcomesfrom

• LinkFarmersandChefs

• Createcommunitymee<ngplace

Supply

• Supportsustainablefarmingmethods

• Partnerwithfarmers• ProvidesupplyoffreshfoodsforSNAP,WIC,SFMNPclients,foodpantries

It’s all connected… and all about delivering impacts

HistoricLewesFarmersMarkets

Demand

Supply

ProtectLocalFarmlandSupportnewandestablishedfarmersConnectourcommunitywiththehandsthatgrowtheirfood

We collect a ton of data ü  totalaQendanceandbygateü  totalsalesandbymarketstandü  numberofchildrenatstoryFmeü  $valueoffooddonatedtochariFesü  $scholarshipsandgrantstofarmersü  #ofSNAP/WIC/SFMNPcustomersü  #ofnewSNAP/WIC/SFMNPcustomersü  totalSNAP/WIC/SFMNP$redeemedü  totalSNAP/WIC/SFMNPmatch$issuedü  totalSNAP/WIC/SFMNPmatch$spentü  farmeracresü  farmerdistancetraveledü weatherondayofmarketü  specialeventsintown/holidays

Wewereabletocalculateothermeasures:•  $spendpercustomer•  $spendperSNAPcustomerAndtolookatthingslike:•  Whichfarmstallsare

growingsalesmorequickly?•  Whichentrygatesarethe

mostpopular?

We calculate additional measures

ü  totalaQendanceandbygateü  totalsalesandbymarketstandü  numberofchildrenatstoryFmeü  $valueoffooddonatedtochariFesü  $scholarshipsandgrantstofarmersü  numberofSNAPcustomersü  numberofnewSNAPcustomersü  totalSNAP$issued&$redeemedü  totalSNAPmatch$issuedü  totalSNAPmatch$redeemedü  farmeracresü  farmerdistancetraveledü weatherondayofmarketü  specialeventsintown/holidays

How We Have Used Our Data

Opera<ons


Opera<ons Stakeholders



Research



Advocacy Research

Data• DataarethestarFngpointnottheendpoint• Stay‘true’tothedata

Context• Putyourdataincontext• DescribetheimplicaFons

Story• ProvideaqualitaFvestory• Makeitlocalandmeaningful

AcFon• DescribewhatyouareadvocaFngfor• BeclearonacFonrequested

Data Driven Advocacy – A Four Step Approach

Data - the Starting Point Listof“DataAccomplishments”Overthepast11yrs:

ü  Weatefreshandlocal…364,000

shoppersspent$5,422,000enjoyingDelmarva’sbountyfrom77farmers/producers

ü  Weshared...DonaFng$44,962ofHLFMfoodtochariFes

ü  Welearned...$35,700inscholarships&grantsgivenbyHLFMenabledfarmerstolearnnewskills

ü  Weeducated...8,218childrenandtheirparentsatChildren’sStoryFmeinpartnershipwiththeLewesPublicLibrary

ü  Wewelcomed...ShoppersfromfarandwideincludingGreatBritain,France,ItalyandNewZealand.

Placing Data in Context

•  Data statements without context: –  Eggs from Twin Post Farm travel just

60 miles to reach your plate. –  Food at our market travels an

average of 27 miles to reach your plate.

•  Adding context: –  Food at a grocery chain travels an

average of 1500 miles.* •  Adding implications:

–  In most cases, the farther your food travels the less nutritious and less tasty it is.

–  Fresh food lasts longer and so there is less waste.

* “Food, Fuel and Freeways”, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture (Iowa State University).

Creating a Data Driven Story

Data

• Thefarmerswhosellatourmarketfarmover6,000acresoflandontheDelmarvaPeninsula.

Context

• 175acresofagriculturallandislosttodevelopmentperhourintheUS.*BysupporFngourfarmersyouhelpkeepover6,000acresoflocalfarmlandinproducFon.

Story• Storyofthelocaldevelopmentonfarmland.*FarmsUnderThreat:TheStateof

America’sFarmland(AmericaFarmlandTrust,2018)


Data

• Thefarmerswhosellatourmarketfarmover6,000acresoflandontheDelmarvaPeninsula.

Context

• 175acresofagriculturallandislosttodevelopmentperhourintheUS.*BysupporFngourfarmersyouhelpkeepover6,000acresoflocalfarmlandinproducFon.

Story

• StoryoftheFicnerfamilystayinginfarmingbecauseofdirectsalesopportuniFes.

*FarmsUnderThreat:TheStateofAmerica’sFarmland(AmericaFarmlandTrust,2018)

The Best Data Driven Stories Are:

•  True to the data – your story should be representative of the data.

•  Local – and can be confirmed by the target audience

•  Bring the data to ‘life’ •  Compelling for your audience and lead them to

act/support your call to action

The Best Data Driven Stories Are:

•  True to the data – your story should be representative of the data.

•  Local – and can be confirmed by the target audience

•  Bring the data to ‘life’ •  Compelling for your audience and lead them to

act/support your call to action

"TellmethefactsandIwilllearn,tellmethetruthandIwillbelieve,buttellmeastoryanditwillliveinmyheartforever.”AmericanIndianSaying


Data

• Wehaveprovidedover$32,000inscholarshipsandgrantstofarmerstoaQendworkshopsandconferences.Regular‘MeettheFarmer’demoseducateourcustomersonthechallengesyoungfarmersface.

Context

• TheaverageageofprinciplefarmoperatorsintheUSis58.Morethan31%ofprinciplefarmoperatorsare65orolder.*Accesstolandisthenumberonechallengeyoungfarmersface.**

Story• IdenFfyFarmerswhosestoriesillustratethechallenges

*USDAFarmHouseholdincomeandCharacterisFcsreport**TheNaFonalYoungFarmerSurvey(NaFonalYoungFarmersCoaliFon)


Data


Context


Story • Thestoryofoneofourfarmers



Data


Context


Story • Kathleen’sstory


Funded$10,000

Audiences&AcFons

•  Customers–ShopatourmarkettohelpcreatethenextgeneraFonoffarmers,savelocalfarmlandandensureaccesstolocalfreshfoods.

•  Farmers–Wearemorethanamarket,weareheretocreateacommunityofsupportforlocalsustainableagricultureandyoungfarmers.


Quan<ta<veData


ContextualorCompara<ve

Data


Qualita<veInforma<on

• Taylor’sandKathleen’sstories


Practical Tips

•  ExploreSourcesforContext/Implica<ons

•  FarmersMarketCoaliFon•  USDACensusofAg

reports•  StateandCountyreports•  NaFonalSurveys

•  KnowYourAudience•  Interests•  AcFonswanted

•  LanguageMaOers•  TruthMaOers•  Confiden<alityMaOers

Infographic

•  Infographicsarepopular –  Intended to present

information quickly and visually

–  Helppeopleunderstandthenumbersandrememberthemessage

•  Besureto:

Making Sure Your Numbers Aren’t “Numb”

•  Besureto: –  Beclearonyouraudienceandyourmessage

– Matchthegraphictothenumberandmessage

–  IncludecontextandimplicaFons

–  Tellastory

Another Data Driven Story and Call to Action

Data• Ourmarkethasdone$26,000inSNAPbusiness.

Context

• Ourmarketaccountsforover¼ofthetotalSNAP$spentatmarketsandfarmstandsinDelaware

Story

• StoryofliQleboyandthepeach

Audiences&AcFons

•  SNAPrecipients–Youarewelcomeatourmarket,comeforthematch.

•  Volunteers–Youhavehelpedcreatethissuccess.Helpusaddresshungerinourcommunity.

•  CityCouncil–Weareservingourcommunityasanon-profitorganizaFon

•  USRepresenta<vefromDelawareontheAgricultureCommiQee–ThiswhytheFarmBillshouldfundSNAP

Another Data Driven Story and Call to Action

Data• Ourmarkethasdone$26,000inSNAPbusiness

Context

• Ourmarketaccountsforover¼ofthetotalSNAP$spentatmarketsandfarmstandsinDelaware

Story

• StoryofliQleboyandthepeach

Corona Communications

Thank You

Questions?

www.historiclewesfarmersmarket.org [email protected]

302-644-1436

Nancy Staisey & Helaine Harris

data driven advocacy: communica3ng the value of your market seminars and … · where fresh food is...

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