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Greer Farmers' Market director previews 2026 season, new Healthy Kids vouchers and asks city to consider vendor licensing
Summary
Maggie Blair, director of the Greer Farmers' Market, told council the market will stage 30 events in 2026, highlighted 2025 metrics (22 farms, about 40 vendors per market, 211 applications) and described assistance programs including SNAP, Healthy Bucks, senior vouchers, WIC and a new Healthy Kids $5 produce voucher pilot (about $5,000 distributed in 2025). Blair asked to remain involved in city conversations about vendor business licenses.
Greer — Maggie Blair, director of the Greer Farmers' Market, gave council a roundup of the market's 2025 results and the program's plans for 2026, including a new Healthy Kids voucher pilot and a request for continued conversations about business-license requirements for vendors.
Blair said the market will host 30 events at Greer City Park in 2026, up from 27 in 2025. "Last year was our tenth year in Greer," she said, "We had 22 farms represented at our market this year. We supported 21 food vendors, 36 musicians... We had an average of 40 vendors per market... and 211 market applications, which is a record." She described the market as a nonprofit (501(c)(3)) that uses sponsorships, grants and donations to keep vendor fees low and to support assistance programs that help shoppers afford produce.
On assistance, Blair described existing programs — SNAP redemption, Healthy Bucks (a Department of Social Services program that provides an additional $15 for SNAP purchases), senior vouchers and WIC — and the Healthy Kids pilot introduced in 2025 with a grant from the Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Greer Class 45. "We gave out almost $5,000 of those vouchers this year, and we plan to do more than that next year," she said, adding the vouchers cover fruits, vegetables, honey and eggs and include crafts and education for children.
Council members asked about shopper surveys and food-safety oversight for out-of-state vendors. Blair said vendor applications require submission of relevant licenses or permits and that previous shopper surveys were conducted by students; she suggested in-person surveying at markets would yield better shopper residency data.
Blair also flagged operational issues — heavy vendor load-in, accessibility for seniors and people with disabilities, and weather dependence — and asked to stay involved in ongoing discussions about business-license fees and exemptions for farmers. The mayor suggested staff explore temporary measures to improve pedestrian crossings at Poinsett Street for Sunday markets.
Blair invited volunteers and sponsors to support the market's programs and noted the weekly markets will begin April 26, with specific upcoming events Feb. 15, March 15, March 29 and April 19.
