History

With our rich landscapes, vibrant, statewide small-farms community and dedicated local food enthusiasts, it is no surprise that Oregon has been a leader in the nation for farm direct sales outlets, such as farmers markets, for many years.

The idea for forming OFMA was initially inspired by a keynote address given by August Schumacher, Jr. at a Pacific Northwest Farm Direct Marketing conference held in Seattle, in February of 1987. He told conference-goers about a program operating at his state’s markets that allowed WIC recipients to also receive coupons to use at markets.

Conference attendee Caroline Goodall met Marti Fate, discovered a mutual interest in seeing programs like this one take root and flourish in Oregon, and OFMA’s history began. Caroline and Marti soon began meetings to start a statewide Oregon farmer’s market project, and in May of 1987, the Oregon Farmers[’] Markets Association was incorporated.

Just after OFMA formed in 1987, the Oregonian’s Food Day section listed only twelve markets in the state: Albany, Corvallis, Grants Pass, Gresham, Hillsboro, La Grande, Lane County, Lincoln County, McMinnville, Medford, Rogue River, and Salem. The Beaverton market, now the largest single market in the state, opened the following year. Portland Farmers Market, which now boasts at least seven individual market locations, was organized a few years later in 1992.

Caroline and Marti, on behalf of OFMA, dedicated themselves to assisting start-up markets all over the state for several years and by April of 1988, OFMA had 35 members representing 12 markets. As of spring 2018, OFMA's membership has grown to 81 members, representing 73 markets and associations, operating at nearly 100 market locations across the state of Oregon; and we estimate that there are at least 20-30 non-member markets in Oregon to target for future membership.

As the markets grew, so did their needs. Over the course of its 30-year life span, as an all-volunteer organization, OFMA has accomplished a great deal on behalf of our stakeholders. For example, in 1989, Oregon became one of seven states participating in a pilot project for the WIC coupon program that became nationwide in 1990. OFMA’s requests for market guidelines became the first Direct Marketing Handbooks for farmers and food processors, written and published by Oregon Department of Agriculture. OFMA worked again with ODA on a set of farmers' market guidelines in 2003.

In 2006 OFMA officially became a 501(c)6 membership-based non-profit organization. This helped build OFMA financially, organizationally and eventually led to hiring staff members to add capacity beyond the all-volunteer board. In 2020 OFMA changed to a 501(c)3 non-profit in order to qualify for more grant applications and continue to grow.

For 30 years, OFMA has worked for markets and the farmers who sell in them. OFMA represents small farmers and farmers markets in ways no one else does.