This week is National Farmers Market Week, as fresh jams, jellies, fruits and vegetables draw thousands of people to more than 8,000 farmers markets across the country.
The gatherings foster a sense of community and provide consumers with direct access to locally grown food and the markets serve another purpose: to feed those experiencing food insecurity.
Emily Weikert Bryant, executive director of the nonprofit Feeding Indiana’s Hungry, said the organization and the agricultural community have partnered for many years in a shared mission to alleviate hunger.
“They’re engaging with their regional food bank or their local pantries or participating in partnerships with their industry associations, like the Million Meals program we have with the Indiana pork producers,” Weikert Bryant explained. “We’re taking extra produce from their gardens to neighbors who need a little help. Farmers are often quietly working in the communities to alleviate hunger for our Hoosier neighbors.”
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits can be used at Hoosier farmers markets, according to the Indiana Farmers Market. The Indiana Department of Agriculture reported there are more than 94,000 farmers in the state and 94% of the farms are either family-owned or operated.
The USDA supports National Farmers Market Week as a new opportunity for investing in local economies and providing an atmosphere for farmers to also directly connect with producers and consumers.
Jenny Lester Moffitt, USDA undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs, said farmers markets play a role in what the agency describes as “direct farm to institution.”
“Having farmers to be able to sell directly, farm to school, farm to hospital and even farm to food banks is a really critical thing,” Moffitt emphasized.
Moffitt noted farmers receive seven times the food dollar at markets over selling into traditional market streams. She added the USDA has invested more than a billion dollars in local food purchase assistance for school programs to empower communities and states to be able to purchase more food.
