Farmers’ markets are especially valuable resources because they simultaneously benefit family farms and farmers, public nutrition, local economies, and the environment. They are even more valuable collectively, as FMFM demonstrates. There are about 130 of them in Massachusetts, of which 25% were created by or with the help of FMFM. FMFM was founded in 1978 by a public-private partnership of the state Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR), the University of Massachusetts Extension Service, and farmers statewide, to reinforce the ’70s revival of interest in these markets. As a collective, FMFM provides stronger advocacy with government, public education and marketing, and cost negotiations with insurers and other vendors of goods and services. FMFM and DAR created the nation’s first farmers’ market food-coupon program in the mid-80s, and FMFM helped to roll it out nationwide. They collaborate and advocate with both state and federal government agencies. FMFM has partnered with Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) coupon programs to enable low-income families to improve their nutrition with fresh local fruits and vegetables, while simultaneously directing those dollars toward increasing family farm incomes. In short, if you believe in farmers’ markets, you’ll enjoy supporting FMFM, which helps them all.