USDA Launches National Farmers' Market Campaign

from Sustainable Food News

A federally funded campaign to help farmers markets and farmers market associations nationwide launched July 1, 2009.

The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and the Farmers Market Coalition (FMC), which is administering the campaign, said the Markets Are Up! campaign’s goal is to communicate the vital role that such markets play in improving consumer health, local communities, and economies.

The campaign is also promoting the USDA’s 10th annual National Farmers Market Week Aug. 2-8.

“Markets Are Up! is FMC’s way of demonstrating that even in these most complicated economic times, farmers markets remain a solid investment in our health, our communities and our economy,” says Stacy Miller, executive director of the Farmers Market Coalition. “Farmers markets are already reporting record sales this year, which we expect will continue to grow.”
AMS estimates about 4,800 U.S. farmers markets in operation. The agency will release its updated tally of U.S. farmers markets for 2009 during National Farmers Market Week.