The montrose farmers market has been a direct-to-consumer sales venue for locally-grown food products since 1978; the market is well-established and the only year-round farmers market in this region

The Western Colorado Food & Agriculture Council (dba Western Colorado Food & Agriculture Council) will receive $307,663.21 under a three-year Project Grant from the US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service. The grant is part of the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program (FMLFPP), which supports the development, coordination and expansion of local and regional food systems.

Specifically, the Council will implement the "Growing the Future" project to strengthen the Montrose Farmers Market in Colorado. Key activities include broadening the market's appeal through new marketing strategies, increasing vendor profitability through recruitment and mentoring, adopting a customized business plan, and creating a robust data tracking system. The project aims to develop a diverse consumer base, bolster the local food economy, foster a new generation of producers, and ensure the long-term sustainability of direct producer-to-consumer sales in the region. Outcomes will be achieved through collaboration with 14 public and private sector partners committed to the market and local agriculture.

Alongside these strengths, key needs exist: to broaden the market's appeal to multiple generations, cultures, and more low-income residents; add greater variety in the number and type of vendors; develop a viable and suitable business model that can assure profitability for all vendors; and create a data tracking system to inform decisions. "growing the future" will expand and strengthen the market's capacity, ultimately leading to the following outcomes: development of an informed, diverse consumer base, and an increase in demand for local products through marketing strategies that target our generationally, culturally, and socio-economically diverse community; an increase in profitability for existing market vendors, and the number and variety of vendors at the market through directed recruitment of beginning farmers, ranchers and vendor mentoring; adoption of a thoroughly-researched and customized business plan to ensure profitability, accessibility, and sustainability of the market; and a vetted data tracking system that is robust yet straightforward. This work will be accomplished through the collaboration of 14 key partners, coming from both the public and private sectors, all committed to the success of the market and local producers. By stimulating economic growth for producers, strengthening the "buy local" culture, fostering a new generation of producers, increasing healthy food access for all community members, and creating long-term market sustainability,"growing the future" will bolster the direct producer-to-consumer marketplace.