Buy Out the Market

media release: Healthy Food For All of Dane County and Wisconsin Resistance Coalition in conjunction with Madison 50501 are calling on rally goers attending this Saturday’s National Day of Action to support our local farmers, help feed needy neighbors and demonstrate how we as a community respond to a crisis. With the Dane County Farmers’ Market back on the Square, having a large rally on the steps isn’t allowed and might also negatively impact vendors’ revenue.

“We’re asking folks not to just gather at the top of State Street, but march around the Capitol then meet up a few blocks away at James Madison Park,” says WRC organizer Anna Gerard. “We’re also asking folks to buy all the food at the Market and immediately donate it to Healthy Food For All to distribute to neighbors who are struggling!”

Buy Out The Market builds on HFFA’s Buy One For A Neighbor project that asks area farmers' market shoppers to buy an extra bag or bunch of something they’d like to share with neighbors in need. Relying on existing social networks in target neighborhoods, HFFA does pop-up mobile pantries to quickly distribute large volumes of high quality perishable food directly into low income households. Produce and other food collected at this event will be distributed in Darbo-Worthington, at The Harmony apartment complex and additional Southside locations.

“Madison knows how to take care of its own like the farmers who feed us and our neighbors who are struggling,” says Joe Mingle, HFFA Field Organizer. “People are righteously angry, and we'll never stop fighting back, but we're also moving forward together to make real change on the ground in people’s lives.”

Saturday 04.19 is another 50501 National Day of Action with the local event scheduled for 12:00 noon. Rally goers are asked to march around the Square, Buy One For A Neighbor from the farmers and continue to march to James Madison Park. Donations will be gathered and sorted at the Park while marchers network to build working committees and affinity groups. As additional national days of action are called, organizers anticipate Buy Out The Market marches will be a regular activity.

“The Dane County Farmers’ Market is the crown jewel of our local food scene and farmers like these are critical to our community’s long term food security,” says Gerard. “We’re proud to show the whole nation a way we can turn our fear and anger into action that reflects the kind of society we want to build.”

Volunteers are needed to make this and future activities happen so please reach out if you’re willing to pitch in!

Please email beyer.byron@gmail.com if you’re able to volunteer as a parade marshal and help direct the flow on the Square.

Email Anna at akgerard@mail.bradley.edu if you can help WRC and 50501 organize the upsurge by collecting contact info at the Park and helping people organize committees or affinity groups.

Email Joe at minglejoseph@gmail.com if you want to help sort and distribute the food we collect.

If you can’t attend this week’s Buy Out The Market event, you can still support area farmers and Buy One For A Neighbor via HFFA’s 2025 Emergency Food Purchasing Fund.