Farmers’ Markets: Overview

Over the past four decades farmers’ markets have blossomed across the United States: in 1970 only an estimated 342 markets were operation; by 2009 the U.S. Department of Agriculture tallied 5,274. The markets vary greatly in size and scope. Some, like the Dane County Market in Madison, Wisconsin, are beloved local institutions drawing thousands of shoppers each Saturday to browse among hundreds of stalls stocked with Asian greens, heirloom apples, and homemade pasta. Others consist of a handful of producers selling tomatoes, peppers, and sweet corn in church parking lots. Both kinds of markets offer to consumers a selection of fresh, local produce, often surpassing what can be found in conventional supermarkets, in a cheery, social setting. For small farmers, this kind of direct marketing offers both an alternative to dealing with large-scale commodity markets and the possibility of receiving much higher returns on their products.