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USDA - In a desire to champion the direct-to-consumer producers, market managers and customers that make communities come alive during farmer’s market days, last year the USDA Secretary Thomas Vilsack proclaimed the first full week in August to be National Farmers Market Week.
With more than 8,600 farmers markets registered across the nation, the weeklong events will support the farm-to-table movement and highlight the role farmers’ markets play in supporting healthy communities and stimulating local economies.
Local and regional food systems, including farmers markets, are critical to the future of the nation’s food system.
Farmers markets provide a unique low-barrier entry point for beginning farmers and ranchers. By selling directly to the consumer, farmers markets can provide higher returns for farmers and ranchers, and the evidence shows that these new farm businesses survive longer than new farm businesses selling strictly wholesale.
From live music to dancing vegetables, farmers markets offer an opportunity to learn more about your food source and find fun entertainment. Markets foster relationships between producers and consumers and create a hub of activity at the center of a community.
Not to mention, during the pandemic as some longer supply chains struggled, farmers markets remained an essential source of safe and healthy food. Generally, they were able to pivot quickly, become charitable food donation and distribution points, stand up online marketplaces, and adapt to public health requirements.
The results showed farm-level benefits for farm vendors, including:
67% increased overall production.
33% increased the number of workers employed on the farm.
Nearly 40% were able to sell imperfect products that would otherwise go unsold.
77% diversified the types of agricultural products they grew.
Farmers markets play a critical role in our communities connecting producers and consumers, strengthening nutrition security and contributing to a fair, competitive, distributed, and resilient food system.