Are you looking for an economic boost to your community, but don’t have a lot of resources to do so? If so, starting a farmers market in your city or village could help.

Two farmers market experts discussed the economic impact markets can have on a community, particularly low-income communities, during an education session at the 2014 Michigan Municipal League Convention in Marquette Wednesday, Oct. 15. Kathryn Lynch Underwood, city planner, for the Detroit Planning Commission, and Michelle Walk, extension educator, sustaining community prosperity/tourism, for MSU, reviewed the benefits, challenges and tips to starting farmers markets.

Lynch Underwood said a key to starting a market is having policies in place to allow for it. And the key to having effective policies is having community buy-in and support in the policy development process.

“People need to be brought in early when it comes to policy making so they become more co-creators of the process,” Lynch Underwood said. “So by the time they come to the end of the process you have more buy-in. That’s how Detroit approached our agriculture ordinance. It’s the same with farmers markets. You should be very inclusive in how you plan them.”

Walk talked about the dramatic increase in farmers markets in Michigan in the last several years and the benefits of having a farmers market, including how they can foster development and shape a community’s growth; add of sense of place to the area; contribute to the character of the community; and reinvigorate low-income areas. The education session was sponsored by the MSU Extension/Citizen Planner and moderated by Brad Neumann, government and public policy educator for MSU Extension/Citizen Planner.

The Michigan Municipal League did a recent case study about farmers markets, including additional tips on starting a market. For the case study go to placemaking.mml.org and here: http://placemaking.mml.org/2014/09/15/placemaking-in-action-michigans-farmers-markets-helping-revitalize-communities-while-promoting-healthy-living/.

The League’s new book, The Economics of Place: The Art of Building Great Communities, also includes a detailed story about the Kalamazoo farmers market as well as numerous other placemaking-focused chapters. For more about the book go to economicsofplace.com, and you can order the book here: http://www.economicsofplace.com/purchase-the-books/.