Much of the information that is known about farmers markets is positive. Usually when you hear about a local farmers market, you hear that it has healthier food and is good for local farmers and the local economy. But farmers markets do have weaknesses and they are considerably more complex than they may seem at first. The website for Agricultural Marketing Service, a branch of the United States Department of Agriculture, plays up all the good things about farmers markets. It emphasizes that local markets offer fresh products and the opportunity to develop personal relationships with the local farmers. It also mentions that there are more than 4,3000 farmers markets in the United States. However, it does not mention one of the main weaknesses of farmers markets. The markets are entirely seasonal. As Pat Robinson brings up in a New York Times opinion piece, many farmers markets simply shut down in the winter. Robinson is from Wisconsin, where this is a problem. Not everything he needs is as the market, if the market is even open at all. This is a major weakness of the farmers market. If consumers want more than the market offers, they have to go to the nearest chain grocery store. And another issue that has to be considered is that when consumers have to go to a grocery store for one thing, they will probably just get everything else they want there too because it is more convenient. What this says to me is that, even though I am fully supportive of local farmers markets, perhaps more needs to be done in order for farmers and consumers alike to reap the full potential benefits of them.
Sources:
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fetchTemplateData.do?template=TemplateC&navID=FarmersMarkets&rightNav1=FarmersMarkets&topNav=&leftNav=WholesaleandFarmersMarkets&page=WFMFarmersMarketsHome&description=Farmers%20Markets&acct=frmrdirmkt
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940CE2DD133FF936A35752C1A9609C8B63&scp=2&sq=farmer%27s+market&st=nyt
2 comments:
i also read about other benifits of farmers markets for people that are looking to eat very healthy. While shopping at farmers markets there are fewer temptations that fall outside the realm of healthy eating. There are a considerable less amount of distractions at a farmers market then there are at a grocery store.
i also read about other benifits of farmers markets for people that are looking to eat very healthy. While shopping at farmers markets there are fewer temptations that fall outside the realm of healthy eating. There are a considerable less amount of distractions at a farmers market then there are at a grocery store. Although some stands do sell homemade cookies and other sweets there are less perservatives and far less junk food overall then would be found in a grocery store.
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