Demand growing for farm goods

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

There is continued demand for farmers markets and for consumers to buy products directly from the farmer, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report.

The report released Friday shows that 50,000 farmers and ranchers nationwide are selling products through farmers markets, and an additional 150,000 sell their products directly to consumers.

Nationally, the number of farmers markets has grown by 76 percent since 2008. According to the USDA, this rising number indicates continued growth and demand in every region of the country.

Ohio ranks fourth in the nation in the number of farmers markets with 311, an increase of 3.7 percent compared with the previous year.

Growth can truly be seen when looking back 10 years, the USDA report adds. Ohio had 104 farmers markets in 2004.

The USDA keeps a directory of all registered farmers markets nationally. The list can found at farmersmarkets.usda.gov. More than 2 million people a year access the site. The listings on the site are self-reported.

“The directory is a valuable tool with up-to-date information about farmers markets nationwide, and the current number of listings reflects the important role that farmers markets play in American agriculture,” said Anne Alonzo, administrator of the USDA agricultural marketing service. “They bring urban and rural communities together while creating economic growth and increasing access to fresh, healthy foods.”