Celebrate National Farmers Market Week
What comes to mind when you think of “farmers markets?” Perhaps you automatically imagine fluffy croissants and iced coffee. Or, perhaps those two words conjure the feeling of hauling a case of peach seconds to your car. While local farmers markets can have a direct positive impact on your weekend morning, they also make a large impact on our broader community and local food system.
This week, farmers markets across the United States are celebrating National Farmers Market Week. To help showcase the importance of farmers markets in our food systems, we’ve dug through the data to illustrate not only how much farmers markets make a difference in our community, but also shine a light on the harms of a globalized, corporate food system.
Our food system has gone bad
Did you know that just three corporations – Costco, Walmart, and Kroger – own nearly 40% of the U.S. grocery market share? The impact of this consolidation of power are two-fold, felt first by communities that already have limited access to fresh, healthy food, and second by American farmers struggling to compete with the low costs of imported goods.
Across the United States, 76 counties don’t have access to a single grocery store. These communities, commonly referred to as food deserts, are often found in low-income urban and rural neighborhoods. Because these areas don’t have consistent and reliable access to healthy foods, they may also experience health disparities – which come at a high cost. About 90% of our $4.3 billion in national healthcare costs can be attributed to medical care for chronic conditions, many of which are diet-related (such as diabetes). By prioritizing profit over people, our food system is contributing to a public health crisis that disproportionately impact already marginalized communities.
Meanwhile, the U.S. imports roughly 32% of its vegetables, and 55% of its fruits. Only 6% of American farms sell locally, while most produce travels 1,500 miles to arrive at the grocery store. This is all occurring while small American farms are struggling to survive – and may be one of the underlying causes as to why farmers in rural areas are 3.5 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population.
Farmers markets provide an urgent solution
Farmers markets – especially those that focus predominantly on local food producers – already have many of the systems in place to solve for these issues. When it comes to access, both geographically and financially, the farmers market model shows promise. For starters, starting and running a farmers market is less expensive and requires less space than developing a new grocery store. And since they are run by local community members and not shareholders, they can hold the best interests of their neighbors at heart.
Plus, thanks to programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), families who qualify are able to use their benefits at farmers markets. At Boulder County Farmers Markets, customers can not only use SNAP benefits, but they can double them thanks to the Double Up Food Bucks program.
And as customers ourselves, one of the reasons we love local food so much is that we believe it is better for us than traditional produce sold at the grocery store, and the science behind it is beginning to catch up. Conventional farming practices disrupt soil life,forcing a decline in nutrient density of up to 50% over the last 50 to 70 years. Meanwhile, 81% of farmers who sell direct-to-consumer incorporate sustainable and regenerative practices that promote soil health, and 78% use practices consistent with the organic standards of the American Farmland Trust. Regenerative farms on average test seven times higher in soil health than conventional farms, and better protect compounds in the soil known to reduce risk of chronic disease.
When it comes to selecting the future of food, your dollar is your vote
A question we hear often is: why should I buy my groceries at the farmers market when I can get it from the grocery store for less? Of course, we understand that no two people’s financial situations look the same and that for many, saving money on groceries is necessary in order to best support your family. However, we also know that every dollar we spend is a vote for the kind of future we want.
When you buy $5 worth of tomatoes at the grocery store, your money goes to the megacorporation behind the brand. Your purchase helps pay for the tomatoes to travel those 1,500 miles, without guarantee of fair wages to the farmer who picked it. Your $5 purchase says ‘this is where, and how, I like to buy my food.’ When you buy $5 worth of tomatoes at the farmers market, however, your money goes directly to a small business in your community. Your purchase helps to protect local agricultural spaces, and allows farmers to pay their staff competitive wages. Your $5 says this is what I want to see more of.
So as we continue to celebrate National Farmers Market Week now through August 10, we hope you’ll help us get out the vote for the future of food that you desire. You can visit our farmers markets in Boulder and Longmont this week, starting tonight at the Boulder Farmers Market from 3:30 to 7:30pm.
