As the economy limps along, farmer’s markets are showing record growth, and that growth could bring thousands of jobs with it.
A dismal week for the U.S. economy featuring debt-ceiling drama in Washington and the threat of a double-dip recession on Wall Street, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) delivered some powerhouse statistics demonstrating the public’s demand for healthy, organic food: The number of farmers markets in the country increased 17 percent in the last year. “There’s a yearning for the 99 percent of Americans who are no longer connected to the farm to reconnect,” Kathleen Merrigan, deputy secretary of the USDA, said.
Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) released an report finding that farmers markets could be a much-needed antidote to high unemployment. Their economic analysis found that even modest public support for up to 500 farmers markets annually would create up to 13,500 jobs in a five-year window, bolstering local and regional food systems.