Registration Now Open for the Annual Maryland Farmers’ Market Conference  

UPDAWeights and Measures staff will offer scale certification

UPDATE: Registration for the 2015 Farmers Market Conference is FULL! If you missed the registration deadline, conference materials and a video of all conference speakers will be available on our website after the conference.

ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Annual Maryland Farmers’ Market Conference will be held Tuesday, March 17, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA), 50 Harry Truman Parkway, Annapolis. Registration is open now. Anyone involved with or interested in the operations of farmers’ markets should plan to attend. Registration is $30 for the day and includes coffee, fresh breakfast pastries & milk from local farms and a locally sourced lunch. Space is limited to 90 people. Deadline for registration is March 10.

For complete information, including a full agenda, see: http://mda.maryland.gov/maryland_products/documents/Farmers_Mkt_Conf_Reg.pdf

Register online here: https://mdamarketing.wufoo.com/forms/2015-md-farmers-market-conference/

Conference sessions will offer information about marketing tips for farmers’ market, new opportunities for markets, and current regulations. Also available will be training and certification sessions about the Women Infants and Children (WIC) program, the Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP), the Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP), and the Fruit and Vegetable Check (FVC) program.

Also during the conference, MDA’s Weights and Measures section will offer scale certification. Registered businesses that had their scales previously tested and approved should bring the certificate along with the scale. Businesses can renew their registration during the conference as well. New businesses that have not had their scales tested should contact the Weights and Measures office ahead of time at 410-841-5790 to ensure the scales are legal for trade. Once the scale is verified, bring it along with a check for registering the day of conference. The fee is $50 per business and $20 per scale.

Because the conference will be held on St. Patrick’s Day, those who come dressed in a ‘green theme’ will be entered to win a door prize!

For questions, contact MDA Agricultural Marketing Specialist Shelby Watson by email at Shelby.Watson@Maryland.gov or phone at 410.841.5776.

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