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(03/29/22) ST. JOSEPH, La. — Farmers market produce vendors looking to expand their profits are invited to join the LSU AgCenter for a training April 12 at the Northeast Research Station in St. Joseph.
The training, which will begin at 5 p.m., is open to all produce growers and farmers market vendors in northeast Louisiana.
Presenters will guide vendors through the process of registering to accept SNAP benefits and applying for the MarketLink program, which provides card readers to individual vendors and farmers market groups.
Participants should come prepared with business and personal information. Business information includes business name, address, hours of operation, items sold, estimated sales data and ownership type (such as an LLC). Personal information includes the applicant’s address, date of birth, email address, Social Security number and color copies of identification and Social Security cards.
“We want to ensure that our farmers market vendors aren’t missing sales opportunities,” said Cecilia Stevens, food systems coordinator for the LSU AgCenter Northeast Region. “This training will help vendors be prepared for all transaction types, from EBT to credit cards.”
This event is hosted by the LSU AgCenter and the Tensas Healthy Communities Coalition. Healthy Communities is an LSU AgCenter initiative that makes Louisiana towns healthier places to live, work, learn and play using a community-driven approach. More information is available at www.LSUAgCenter.com/HealthyCommunities.
To register, visit https://bit.ly/SNAPVendorTrain. For more information, contact the Tensas Parish extension office at 318-766-3769 or email Stevens at cstevens@agcenter.lsu.edu, Marcie Mathews at mmathews@agcenter.lsu.edu or Joy Sims at jsims@agcenter.lsu.edu.
Community members gather for a farmers market in downtown St. Joseph. Photo by Marcie Matthews/LSU AgCenter
Freshly harvested watermelons in the bed of a truck. Photo by Marcie Matthews/LSU AgCenter
Danvers carrots and German giant radishes on a farmers market table. Photo by Marcie Matthews/LSU AgCenter
