FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, January 15, 2010

For more information contact:
Bill Clary

(502) 564-1137

NEW FARMERS’ MARKET MANUAL NOW AVAILABLE

FRANKFORT, Ky. — The 2010 Kentucky Farmers’ Market Manual has new and updated information to help markets and vendors make the most of their farmers’ market experience.

“Farmers’ markets give consumers a place to buy farm-fresh produce, locally raised meat and many other items while providing producers a way to make more money on the farm,” Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer said. “Shoppers can meet the people who produce their food and develop a relationship with them. And they can keep their food dollars in their local communities.”

The new manual provides updated and more detailed information about the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) program, which provides training for growing, transporting and handling produce to help producers offer consumers the safest, most wholesome produce possible. GAP is a partnership of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture and the state Department for Public Health.

The manual also contains updated contact information for some services and other improvements in addition to features from the 2008-2009 manual. The manual provides information about the GAP and home processing programs, food sampling and cooking demonstration guidelines, recommendations on market rules, resources, and many other aspects of selling at a market or running a market.

To get the new farmers’ market manual, go to www.kyagr.com, click on Programs and click on Farmers’ Markets.

Kentucky had 137 farmers’ markets and some 2,000 vendors in 2009.

The rains that helped crop farmers enjoy maximum yields in 2009 led to a poor year for many market farmers, according to Deborah Lucas Angel, president of the Kentucky Farmers’ Market Association. Rain, cool temperatures and lack of sunshine through much of the growing season delayed ripening of tomatoes. Excess rainfall caused tomatoes to burst and kept growers out of their fields, Angel said. “For many of our farmers, this was a devastating year that was quick on the heels of a year of drought and another year of unseasonably cold temperatures early in the season,” Angel wrote in a letter to Commissioner Farmer late last year.

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