We’re turning markets into a movement.
For nearly 40 years, Boulder County Farmers Markets has invited neighbors to enjoy delicious, local food and uplift Colorado agriculture. Yet, right here in our very own community, the future of farming is uncertain. To create a world where local food and farmers can thrive, we’ve created a Strategic Plan that offers a bold reimagining of our work and challenges us all to help transform our food system.
View Our Strategic Plan
Our Mission
Boulder County Farmers Markets is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that is dedicated to strengthening our food system by supporting, promoting, and expanding access to locally grown and made products for all members of our community. We do this by operating seasonal farmers markets and a year-round online marketplace that connect and strengthen relationships between local farmers, producers, and enthusiastic eaters.
Our Strategic Priorities
To identify and pursue the most powerful opportunities to reshape our food future, our Board of Directors collectively identified five vision themes that will guide our work for the next three years.
As a trusted voice and leader in our local food system, we’re expanding our role to advocate for policies that protect and strengthen agriculture in Boulder County. According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, the number of farms in Boulder County decreased by 18% from 2017 to 2022, while farm-related income was down by 23%. Markets alone cannot protect local agriculture. By bringing together farmers, shoppers, and community partners, we’re building a grassroots movement to support the future of farming in our region.
The majority of Americans likely don’t know where their food comes from. The journey from field to plate is a long and complicated one, where consumers are shielded from the true cost of the ingredients that line our grocery store shelves. We have worked hard to be a place where our community can confidently find the best, locally produced food. Now, we aspire to use our platform to empower our community to make informed decisions about where and how they purchase food and tell the stories of the people and institutions working to build a stronger, more resilient food system.
Our Food Hub bridges the gap between seasonal farmers markets and year-round access to local food. By creating a profitable, sustainable distribution system, we’re ensuring stable income for small food businesses while providing more opportunities for our community to enjoy local food. Whether that’s through our online marketplace, wholesale to local restaurants and businesses, or supporting food security for families in Boulder County, creating a strong business plan for our Food Hub will create dependable income for our vendors while getting more local food products out to the community.
Wouldn’t it be nice if?…
A statement uttered countless times over the past forty years, our Strategic Plan confirms our commitment to make this dream a reality. We believe that a brick-and-mortar, year-round farmers market will fill a critical gap in our community and remove barriers to purchasing local food, while serving as a community hub where people can connect with local producers and their neighbors every day of the year.
After years of hard work and discussions, Boulder County Farmers Markets has filed to become a 501(c)3, tax-exempt nonprofit. This new charitable status will allow us to diversify our revenue streams to better serve our vendors while expanding our scope to include all of the priorities on which our plan depends on. We’re proud to have had the opportunity to serve our community since 1987, and look forward to advancing local food for the next generation of farmers, founders, and eaters.
Get Involved
Feeding a village takes a village. We welcome your input, feedback, and collaboration to help put this plan to action. Reach out to us at hello@bcfm.org — we can’t wait to hear from you!
