The
term 'certified'
used in the phrase "Certified Farmers’ Market" means that the produce is
brought to market straight from the farm, either by a farmer personally
or by an employee. County
agricultural inspectors check the farmer's papers for accuracy at both
farm and market, thereby certifying that the farmer is only selling what
s/he is actually growing. (See below for more info, also the Top
Ten Reasons to Shop at Farmers' Markets,
and especially California
Federation of Certified Farmers' Markets.)
The USDA estimates
that more than one million customers visit farmers' markets each week.
On a sunny Saturday
in summer or fall, New York City's Union Square Greenmarket draws more
than 100,000 customers.
In 1977 California
had 4 farmers' markets. Today it has over 300.
In 1974, there were
fewer than 100 farmers' markets in the nation. Now the USDA lists 2,863
farmers' markets in its most recent (2000) directory - up 68% from the
1994 directory. And USDA official Lon Hatamiya says, "We believe there
are many more."
The USDA farmers' market
directory lists farmers' markets in every state, including 22 in Hawaii,
and 10 in Nevada.
More than 20,000 farmers
use farmers' markets to sell to consumers.
The average supermarket
carrot travels 2,000 miles from field to table.
USDA surveys indicate
that most farmers' market produce travels less than 50 miles to market.
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