Why Choose a Certified Farmers' Market?
What is a Certified Farmers' Market?
In a certified market, the farmers who grow the produce sell their fruits and vegetables directly to the public. It is where the agrarian community relates to the urban community.
More specifically, a certified farmers' market is a location approved by the county agricultural commissioner where certified farmers offer for sale only those agricultural products they grow themselves. Certified Farmers Markets provide multiple benefits for small farmers, consumers and the community.
A certified farmers' market puts you in direct contact with the grower. You come and you look and you see what’s here at the market and the farmers are here. They’ll tell you how to cook something. They’ll tell you what that new thing is that you have no idea what it is. They’ll tell you what to do with it, and how to cook it.
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The Benefits
Quality is the number one reason consumers shop at Certified Farmers' Markets--fresh picked, vine and tree ripened quality. Cost savings is also attractive to customers, and often this is possible because the direct sales by farmers to the consumer eliminates the cost of middleman marketing.
For farmers, the certified farmers markets provide an outlet especially suited to moving smaller volumes of produce, thus creating a marketing channel outside of the traditional large volume distribution systems.
CFM's also allow farmers to sell tree ripened fruit which is too delicate for the packing and shipping process. It also increases profits for the farmers because of the cost savings.
If you would like to learn more about Certified Farmers' Markets, please visit the California Federation of Farmers' Markets website.