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FRANKFORT, Ky. — The number of registered farmers’ markets in Kentucky increased 10.2 percent and the number of vendors rose 7.7 percent from 2005 to 2006, according to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s 2006 farmers’ market report.
Janet Eaton, the KDA’s farmers’ market coordinator who wrote the report, attributed the growth to three factors: “It’s farmers looking for local outlets, customers looking for local products, and the freshness issue.” She called farmers’ markets “a win-win for local communities.” Markets promote nutrition and wellness, enhance economic development, preserve family farms and create a public gathering space, Eaton said.
The number of farmers’ markets in Kentucky grew from 98 last year to 108 this year. The number of vendors increased from 1,678 in 2005 to 1,808 this year. Eaton said the increase in vendor numbers can be attributed in part to the increased diversity of products offered at the markets.
Another “huge, huge thing for Kentucky’s small farmers,” according to Eaton, was a 2003 bill that allows Kentuckians to produce products in their homes to sell. “If they don’t sell their produce at the market, they can process it into value-added products with a longer shelf life,” she said. Some of the most popular products of this legislation are jams, jellies and baked goods, Eaton said.
“That piece of legislation has probably added more income to our small farmers’ bottom lines than any one thing,” Eaton said. “The surrounding states are so envious of Kentucky.”
Gross sales at Kentucky farmers’ markets in 2005 totaled nearly $7 million, according to the report. The Lexington Farmers’ Market became the first in Kentucky to report more than $1 million in sales in a year with a total of more than $1.8 million – more than two times greater than the state’s No. 2 market in Boone County. Lexington vendors reported average sales of $25,853 last year.
Eaton stated in the report that the KDA’s support of farmers’ markets has “contributed significantly to their growth both in numbers and sales.” The Department provides advertising cost share funds, market evaluations, development facilitation, at-cost promotional items and other resources and services.
KDA brought together farmers’ market vendors and managers last winter for two days of education and networking in three regional locations. From these meetings vendors joined together to form a statewide association with the help of a $1,000 grant from the Department.
To view the entire report and access a complete list of registered farmers’ markets in Kentucky, visit www.kyagr.com and select “Farmers’ Markets” from the pull-down menu.
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