Farm Markets Respond to COVID-19 with Pivots to New Business Models
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Photo by Rey Lopez
A Conversation with Hugo Mogollon, Executive Director of FRESHFARM
By Susan Able
When I last spoke to Hugo Mogollon in late February, he had recently become executive director of the newly merged Community Foodworks and FRESHFARM markets, and was now charged with overseeing the third-largest farmers organization in the country.
At that time, the largest task in front of Mogollon was implementing a merger that required everything from finding new, larger office space to creating a path forward to unify the cultures and management of the new organization.
Flash forward to March and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mogollon’s job and priorities completely changed in a week. His new priority became the immediate mobilization of the FRESHFARM (FFM) staff to respond to the new rules required for market operation. We had a conversation this week about what that has been like and the challenges ahead.
Edible DC: You already had a lot on your plate—and then, in a week’s time, everything changed for you as a leader.
Hugo Mogollon: Yes, we found ourselves in a new reality that so many businesses have had to face. We had to completely reshape our operations.
It took about two weeks to realize that to control the spread of the virus, we could no longer have crowds and free shopping access to the markets. The way people shopped at a farm market had to change and immediately.
A farmers market is a place where we normally enjoy socializing. Now, we can’t do that. We’ve had to learn how to shop at a farmers market in a pandemic, which is very different. If possible only send one family member to the market, wear a mask, don’t linger, among other things. Clearly, social distancing requires lines, less free access to the market and new ways of farm market shopping. The complete list of safety protocols we must follow is here, with a link that takes you to our website.
It’s critically important that our shoppers change their behavior, not only to help us keep the markets open, but to keep our front line safe—our FFM market teams and our farmers. We want to do everything in our power to protect them.
EDC: What you would like shoppers to know?
HM: Follow the guidelines for shopping during COVID-19 and please wear a mask when you shop. And pre-order if you can. Pre-ordering from vendors is a great thing that FFM shoppers can do so that their items are ready for them when they arrive. This helps shopping go more quickly, limits transaction times and helps farmers anticipate how much they will sell.
FFM has put together a very comprehensive list of who is accepting pre-orders at all of our markets that are open here, and you can also find a spreadsheet that includes some of our vendors who will deliver straight to your door.
EDC: You operate farm markets in DC, MD and VA, so are working with all the local governments. What has been the support and requirements to stay open?
HM: The good news is that the local governments in DC, VA and MD have done a great effort to keep the markets open. Just in DC, we have been working closely with the DC’s Office of the Mayor, DC Food Policy Council and the Office of Planning, while in VA and MD we have received the support of their respective Farmers Markets Associations. Every local authority has been working with us to avoid larger crowds that can contribute to the spread of the virus. We have nine markets open currently and have been working different scenarios in each market, but with the same purpose: how to keep them open with strict protocols in place.
EDC: From where you sit, how would you say our local farmers are doing?
HM: Spring markets are always a challenge for farmers in the best of times, since what they have to sell is still winter crops and stored produce. While the weather may be getting nicer, we are still aways away from early summer produce. Asparagus and early strawberries are beginning to arrive, but farmers are still a month away from having the big surge of produce to sell.
One thing we know to expect is a growing customer demand as a large variety of produce comes in with the warmer weather. So, we are already planning ahead and hoping that with people getting used to crowd control, required sanitization procedures and pre-ordering, that farmers will be safe and still be selling good volumes.
EDC: And how is FFM doing during this time?
HM: I am so lucky to lead such an amazing group of people on our staff who have so much farm market management experience. They have long relationships with the vendors; they are able to come up with creative solutions. Right now, our staff works remotely during the week and staffs the markets on the weekend. We have been on video calls every day for the last five weeks. Every week has brought something new, we have to work so quickly.
We have had to spend more money to cope with this new model of managing the markets, including new signage, sanitization stations and more staff—things we never had to think about before. For example, last week had 16 staff at the Dupont Circle market, with much more equipment needed to run the market. We’ve had a lot of support, but always are in need of more donations; they are always welcome. We’ve received grant funding for food access, but donations at this time would help us manage these unforeseen costs.
EDC: What would you like everyone to know at this moment?
HM: We all love our farmers markets and we can still support local agriculture even in a pandemic. We all need to change our behaviors to protect them and keep them viable. Following the social distancing protocols is essential. Please wear a mask.
FRESHFARM is the third-largest farmers market organization in the country, with 30 markets that draw nearly 250 farmers and food producers from across the Mid-Atlantic, collectively earning over $15 million in revenue at market annually. www.freshfarm.org
