VanOosten completes Illinois Certified Farmers Market Manager Program

STERLING – Lori VanOosten, market manager for the Twin City Farmers Market, recently completed the 2024 Illinois Certified Farmers Market Manager Program.

Sponsored by the Illinois Farm Bureau, the nine-week class launched in January. Twelve managers from across Illinois were certified through the program, which required 27 hours of classroom training focused on basic and advanced leadership skills and professional development topics essential to successful farmers market management, according to a news release.

The Twin City Farmers Market opened in July 2005 and has been under the stewardship of Sterling Main Street since September 2006. An employee of Sterling Main Street since November 2015, VanOosten officially took on the title of market manager in the spring of 2023.

“With the exponential growth of the market since the addition of the outdoor Sterling Marketplace in 2020, we saw the need to formalize the role of a market manager,” said Janna Groharing, executive director of Sterling Main Street. “While a volunteer committee provides general guidance for the market, the staff time dedicated to vendor coordination, monitoring regulatory requirements, and overseeing building maintenance and improvements has steadily been increasing.

“Lori has been taking on more and more responsibilities with the market in addition to her Main Street duties, including staffing the market on Saturday mornings. Her obtaining this certification is another step in the market’s continued growth.”

The Illinois Certified Farmers Market Manager Program acknowledged that the Twin City Farmers Market manager is a trained professional. Farmers markets continue to provide communities with access to fresh agricultural and artisan products. VanOosten had the opportunity to network with fellow farmers market managers, share ideas, suggest creative solutions and learn from each other.

“Farmers markets are essential to the life and livelihood of farmers, producers and communities throughout Illinois,” said Janie Maxwell, Illinois Farmers Market Association executive director. “Farmers markets don’t just happen, and it takes the planning, organization, community support and dedicated individuals for them to be successful.”

The Twin City Farmers Market is currently home to 26 vendors in the indoor portion of the market, which is open year-round. The outdoor market will open Saturday, May 4, bringing 40 additional vendors to the market throughout its six-month season, which ends Oct. 26. Vendor applications still are being accepted for the outdoor market.

Beginning with the opening of the outdoor market season, eligible Twin City Farmers Market vendors also will be able to accept SNAP benefits as a form of payment.

“Lori has spent countless hours, beginning last fall, researching and taking the necessary steps and training to implement the acceptance of SNAP benefits at the market,” Groharing said.

The market also has registered with Link Up Illinois, a program of Experimental Station, which has provided grant funds to allow the market to provide matching funds for Link-approved purchases of fresh fruits and vegetables at the market.

The Twin City Farmers Market is located at 106 Ave. A, inside the historic Twin City Produce building in downtown Sterling. It is open from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday mornings year-round. For information on the market, its vendors or how to become a vendor, visit www.twincityfarmersmarket.com, follow @twincityfarmersmarket on Facebook and Instagram, or email farmersmarket@sterlingmainstreet.org.

The Illinois Farmers Market Association offers the Illinois Certified Market Manager Program annually and is sponsored by the Illinois Farm Bureau. Email info@ilfma.org if interested.