Iowa’s farmers markets offer mutual benefits for consumers, farmers

5 Aug 2024


News

Looking for fresh-picked sweet corn or ripe strawberries right out of the patch? Iowa has more than 220 certified farmers markets and many of us know they’re a great place to find a wide variety of produce, to interact with local growers, and to support the community.

USDA Undersecretary Jenny Lester Moffitt says farmers markets offer Iowa’s small producers what’s known as a low-barrier entry point, where it’s affordable to sell directly to consumers.

“It’s really important because when we have direct sales, right now in mainstream supply chains, anywhere from 14 to 15 cents of that consumer dollar, our food dollar, goes directly to farmers,” Moffitt says, “but at farmer’s markets, that price is seven times that.”

Read the full article here.

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