photo by: Emma Delk

Grow Ohio Valley Chief Operating Officer Jodi Adams, left, and Public Market Operations Manager Robin Davis stand in front of produce on sale at the Public Market in downtown Wheeling.

Grow Ohio Valley will increase educational opportunities and marketing for Public Market vendors thanks to a $187,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The grant is part of the USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program. From 2025-28, GrowOV will use the funding to benefit the more than 60 local producers who supply food and artisanal goods to the Public Market.

Jodi Adams, GrowOV chief operating officer, said the FMPP will provide Public Market vendors with “technical assistance” on the various components of growing and selling food locally, including how to package and preserve their food products. The program will provide educational sessions for vendors where they can learn how to grow their businesses and receive technical assistance.

Adams said the funding will also support Ruth Gillespie, the Public Market vendor manager, in her efforts to educate and collaborate with vendors.

“Some vendors are very new, so they need a lot of support,” Adams noted.

Adams added GrowOV will strive to recruit more vendors for the market through the program, with the goal of 80 to 100 vendors at the market. The funding will help provide new vendors with the knowledge and assistance to sell at the Public Market.

“We’re constantly searching to bring new vendors on,” Adams said. “We aim to introduce the market to new vendors, get them ready to sell and get them familiar with the licensing required to sell products in West Virginia. It’s fairly achievable to do, but there are some processes new vendors still have to follow, so our vendor manager assists them with that.”

According to Adams, the grant will also help GrowOV create a “full-fledged marketing strategy” for local Public Market vendors. The project’s marketing initiatives will focus on raising awareness about the benefits of buying local and supporting the community’s farmers.

The marketing will inform the public when certain vendors and products are at the market to increase interest in shopping locally throughout the year.

“There are still so many people that don’t know we’re here, so the marketing plan is something that we’re really excited about,” Adams said. “We’re really hoping to increase foot traffic and knowledge about the public market.”

The marketing push will include events at the Public Market where vendors are highlighted. Adams said marketing events could include a “traditional farmers market” held indoors at the Public Market, where vendors are placed at the “very front of the store” for customers to speak with them one-on-one.

Adams said Gillespie and Jasmine Donnell, Public Market sales and marketing manager, will also be performing community outreach to spread awareness for the Public Market.

In addition, the project will host workshops to educate consumers about the importance of sustainable agriculture and the benefits of buying locally. Adams noted the more local products in the store, the more local products the community can access.

“Local product is better for the community for many reasons,” Adam noted. “It turns the dollars spent at the Public Market into economic growth for the area since the dollars aren’t going to California or out of the country. It’s also better for the environment since fuel isn’t used to transport products from California and Florida.”

Adams said the “most important” reason for keeping local produce in the community is local food being “more nutrient dense.”

“You get more bang for your buck if you’re shopping local,” Adams said. “This funding will support our local farmers and food entrepreneurs and empower our community to embrace the benefits of buying local. We are committed to fostering a vibrant food economy prioritizing sustainability and accessibility for all.”