Griffin, Georgia: – 04/03/18: Today the Fairgrounds Farmers Market in Griffin, Georgia, announced that the market will receive an AgSouth Farm Credit farmers market support grant in the amount of $500. The Fairgrounds Farmers Market was one of fifty markets throughout AgSouth’s territory in Georgia and South Carolina to receive a portion of $25,000 in total grant funding. The grant will be used for advertising and promotion of the venue.

Farmers Market Coordinator Wade Hutcheson said, “We are thankful to receive AgSouth’s Think Outside the Store® farmers’ market grant. The support will assist in promoting the market and encourage our community to think ‘farm fresh’ when planning their meals.”

According to AgSouth Farm Credit Marketing Director Christy Smith, “To be eligible to receive a grant, applicants had to provide a detailed marketing plan describing how they would use the grant funds to promote the market. We received numerous applications with some very creative marketing plans, and it was very hard for the selection committee to choose from the excellent applications received. The Fairgrounds Farmers Market was choose because of its strategic and very specific marketing plan designed to increase public awareness of the market.”

Ms. Smith stated that, “Many farmers get their start selling to local markets. Our grant program was designed to support these young farmers by helping to create public awareness of how choosing to shop at your local farmers market benefits not only a community’s health, but also its economy, much in the same way our own patronage program [the cooperative’s profit sharing program] benefits not only our members, but the communities we serve. This year we were able to support farmers markets in 44 of the counties we serve. This is the seventh year we have supported our local markets, and we’re proud continue that support.”

For more information or to register contact
UGA Extension Spalding County at 770-467-4225
Email: uge2255@uga.edu or visit
www.ugaextension.org/spalding