Continuing our series on defining farmers markets we like to wonder: what if everyone in a region or in the country agreed on one set of best practices and one set of rules for farmers markets? In this episode we're talking with Dr. Kim Hutchison and Meredith Ledlie Johnson about how the Virginia Farmers Market Association has done just that. Bringing in multiple stakeholders helped create consistent standards. Education and certification of managers and farmers markets provides validation and a sense of pride. Leveraging that recognition to negotiate managers' compensation and public policy are additional benefits. Listen in as we talk about:

• Creating consistent standards
• Recognizing our industry's strengths
• Bringing multiple agencies to the table
• Documenting the work we do
• How certification affects salaries

Today's episode of Tent Talk, the Farmers Market Podcast, is supported by American Farmland Trust