Consumers love farmers markets a bushel and a peck

FRESNO, Calif. - As demand for locally grown fruits and vegetables has increased, so has the number of farmers markets sprouting up across the nation.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Friday that the number of direct-sales markets has increased 9.6 percent in the past year, with California and New York leading the way.

"Farmers markets are a critical ingredient to our nation's food system," USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan said. "These outlets provide benefits not only to the farmers looking for important income opportunities, but also to the communities looking for fresh, healthy foods."

After 18 years of steady increases, the number of farmers markets across the country now registered with the USDA is 7,864. In 1994, there were 1,744.

The USDA lists 38 markets in Nevada, including 11 in Clark County.

Organizations such as Slow Food, founded in 1989 to counter fast-food, junk-food lifestyles, first ignited consumer demand for fresh, local produce. Now some markets are so popular there are wait lists for farmers to sell there, including one of the largest and most diverse of all, the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market in San Francisco. Farmers from across the region travel there three days a week to sell fruits, vegetables and artisan breads and cheeses to thousands of shoppers, including top chefs from the food-centric city.

Operated by the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture, the well-known market on the San Francisco Bay is celebrating its 20th birthday.

"When we started there were only three markets in the city, and now there are 29," said Liz Hunt, a center spokeswoman.

Las Vegas also has seen a boom in farmers markets.

Fresh 52 Farmers Market made its debut Friday at Town Square shopping center in Las Vegas, adding to its Saturday market at Tivoli Village at 302 S. Rampart Blvd., and Sunday market at Sansone Park, 9480 S. Eastern Ave.

Between 500 and 1,500 people show up at the markets to purchase fresh produce, baked goods and handmade crafts from some 40 vendors.

"It's consumer demand," Fresh 52 founder Carrie Hogan said Friday. "People don't want to travel far past their home to shop. That's why we have one in Henderson and one in Summerlin and now Town Square. It was pretty busy today. Of course, it's still hot and humid, so it slowed down at the end."

Competition for vendors is getting tougher and one organizer said vendors lose out when there are too many markets close together.

"We split markets before and the only ones that end up not winning are the vendors," said Steve Johnson, who founded Las Vegas Farmers Market in 1999. "It's not good for vendors or customers, actually."

Las Vegas Farmers Market is held every Tuesday at Gardens Park, 10401 N. Gardens Park Drive; every Wednesday at Trent Park, 1600 N. Rampart Blvd.; and the first and third Saturday of each month at Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs.

Other farmers markets in Las Vegas include the Downtown 3rd Farmers Market on Friday; Bet on the Farm Farmer's Market at Springs Preserve on Thursday; and Country Fresh Farmers Market in downtown Henderson on Thursday and at 200 S. Green Valley Parkway on Friday.

The USDA has worked to make the markets accessible to people of all income levels by outfitting more with the ability to accept payments from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps. More than $4 million is being made available to equip markets with wireless point-of-sale equipment.

California, the country's top agricultural producing state, has 827 markets, according to the USDA. New York has 647, more than double the next most prolific state, Massachusetts, which has 313.

The mid-Atlantic, Northeast and Southeast saw the biggest percentage growth in markets, reporting 15.8, 14.4 and 13.1 percent jumps in participation.

The USDA website lists farmers markets with links to their websites. It also allows users to search by zip code, to make finding nearby markets easier: http://search.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/

Review-Journal writer Hubble Smith contributed to this report.