Continuing Education

The Michigan Farmers Market Association (MIFMA) has designed continuing education opportunities for individuals who have successfully completed the Market Manager Certificate Program (MMCP) and would like to further pursue leadership skills and professional development in topics essential to market management. In order to maintain a professional level of acknowledgment in their field, certified market managers are now able to earn professional development hours towards recertification. Continuing education will be tracked as professional development hours earned through sessions approved by MIFMA.

Frequently Asked Questions

As a Market Manager who has completed the Michigan Farmers Market Association’s (MIFMA) Market Manager Certificate Program (MMCP), why should I get recertified?

Initial certification through MIFMA’s MMCP carries the date of your certification. Even though the certification is good indefinitely, recertification shows market stakeholders that you have continued learning more about market management. As a professional market manager, you will benefit from staying current on new trends, regulations and growth opportunities for your market.

What is a professional development hour?

A professional development hour is a term MIFMA uses to measure hours earned towards recertification.

How many professional development hours would I need to accumulate to be recertified?

You need to earn 20 professional development hours in order to be recertified.

In what time frame will I need to complete the recertification process?

You must earn 20 professional development hours within three years to be recertified.

How do I track the Professional Development Hours that I earn?

Market managers can track their Professional Development Hours through the MIFMA Member portal by selecting “Professional Development Hours” from the drop-down menu, then clicking the green “Time Sheets” link, then the yellow “New Time Sheet” button. When you attend a qualifying program, you will be asked to sign an attendance sheet (in-person session or live webinar) or complete an online quiz (recorded webinar session) to confirm participation. MIFMA will reference these records when you apply for recertification.

How do I know which educational opportunities are qualifying programs where I can earn professional development hours?

All qualifying programs will be listed as such on the MIFMA Calendar of Events at www.mifma.org/events. Qualifying sessions will record your attendance by asking you to print and sign your name on the sign-in sheet. Qualifying conferences and sessions will be hosted by MIFMA and partnering organizations.

Is there a cost or fee for professional development hours?

Professional development hours will be earned at educational events and during webinars. There will be no fee to earn professional development hours beyond the registration fee for those events.

Can I earn professional development hours by watching recorded webinars?

You can earn professional development hours toward recertification by participating in qualifying recorded webinars. You will be asked to complete a 10 question multiple-choice quiz to ensure you have captured the learning objectives of that webinar. You must achieve 80% on the quiz with a maximum of 1 retake to earn the professional development hours assigned to that webinar.