By TIM THORNBERRY
Kentucky Correspondent

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Springtime brings many welcome sights around Kentucky; but for many, the most welcome is the opening of farmers’ markets.

With an abundance of markets across the state, consumers are able to buy local commodities from local producers without having to travel far. Many of those markets are part of the Kentucky Farm Bureau (KFB) Certified Roadside Farm Markets program, which surpassed growth expectations last year, according to Sandra Gardner, KFB director of Commodity Marketing.

“We exceeded our goal of 20 percent growth for 2008 by enrolling 19 new markets, and we are still getting calls about interest in joining the program both this year and next,” she said. “Additionally, we’ve been receiving dozens of calls from consumers interested in getting a copy of the 2008 Roadside Market Directory map.”

The program started in 1996 as a way for farmers to tout their fruits and vegetables directly from roadside markets. Today it has expanded to include farm enterprises like greenhouses, landscape nurseries, Christmas tree farms, vineyards/wineries and meat/cheese farm markets.

This year, the number of KFB markets has grown to 82 members located across the state – from Paducah, in far western Kentucky, to Louisa, in eastern Kentucky’s Lawrence County, bordering West Virginia.

“The ‘Buy Local’ movement has been underway for several years, and continues to grow each year,” said Gardner. “With higher gas prices affecting transportation costs, buying local just makes good economic sense. When consumers buy direct from Kentucky Farm Bureau Certified Roadside Farm Markets, they save money and receive high quality products, as well as experiencing great customer service.

“The farmer wins by capturing more of the profit, thus increasing net farm income, and the consumer wins by receiving high quality, economical, nutritious, locally-grown products.”

Markets certified through this program are identified by the cornucopia logo and are listed in the Certified Roadside Farm Market Directory. The 2008 directory is available this month.
The program provides collective advertising, promotional items, educational tour opportunities and other marketing benefits with the intent of increasing the net farm income of its members.

Markets are big business

Along with the KFB promotion, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s (KDA) Farmers’ Market program has seen marked growth as well. As of last year, 114 markets were located in 87 counties across the state, 17 in Jefferson County alone. Thirteen of those counties have more than one market.

According to the Kentucky Farmers’ Market Assoc., more than $7.5 million in revenue is generated annually for more than 2,000 farmers across the state.

The farmers’ market trend is growing nationally as well, with the number doubling between 1994-2006, growing from 1,755 to 4,385 according to the USDA.

From the “U-Pick” operations that were a forerunner of a more modern market network, consumers have gone from having access to a few common fruit and vegetable staples to commodities ranging from wine to crafts at their local markets today. As those consumers become more concerned about their food supply, local access has become more popular. Coupled with the increasing cost of transporting food, farmers’ markets seem to have a secure future.

For the KFB Certified Roadside Farm Market Directory, call 502-495-7226, e-mail roadside@kyfb.com or  visit any of the interstate rest areas, state parks, visitors’ centers or county Farm Bureau offices.
For more information about the KDA’s Farmers’ Market program, visit www.kyagr.com/marketing/farmmarket/directory.htm

This farm news was published in the April 23, 2008 issue of the Farm World, serving Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee.