There are more than 8,600 farmers markets in the U.S. and the USDA says the demand for local foods remains strong.
Janie Dunning, state director for USDA Rural Development in Missouri, tells Brownfield that farmers markets are helping smaller scale farmers, consumers and the economy.
“We’re seeing increases in the number of customer traffic. We’re seeing increases in the sales. We are seeing the benefits that the farmers markets play in helping support the rural economies.”
She says USDA Rural Development has invested millions of dollars in support of local food systems including farmers markets.
“A dollar of sales for any produce, any fruit or vegetable grower at a farmers market has about twice the local economic impact as a dollar of sales at, say, a wholesale farm or in the retail piece of it.”
Dunning says Missouri, along with California and New York, are the top three states for farmers market infrastructure improvements which, in part, help farmers add value to their products.
Source: brownfieldagnews.com