foodconsumer.org: America's favorite farmers market contest (PR)

America's favorite farmers market contest (PR)
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admin on 08/06/2010 00:54:00
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 5, 2010
Contact:
Jennifer Morrill, 202-378-1255
jmorrill@farmland.org
VOTE AND WATCH YOUR FAVORITES
RACE TO THE FINISH IN
AMERICA’S FAVORITE FARMERS MARKET CONTEST
?Top 20 Leader-Board Now Live!
Washington, D.C.—American Farmland Trust (AFT) is celebrating National Farmers
Market Week through its America’s Favorite Farmers Markets(tm) contest and the
launch of an online leader-board of the top 20 vote getters in each of four
categories. The lists of boutique, small, medium and large markets track
up-to-the-minute results during the final month of voting, which closes on
August 31.
National Farmers Market Week, a promotion of the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA), recognizes the 6,132 farmers markets across the country that support
local farmers and farmland, bring regional and seasonal food to our tables, and
serve as a gathering place for communities.
“According to the USDA, the number of farmers markets has increased 16 percent
in the past year. People who have voted in the contest so far have told us that
they are excited about their local farmers market, whether it has five vendors
or 50, and they like the opportunity to get to know the people who grow their
food,” says Jane Kirchner, AFT’s Senior Director of Marketing and
Communications. “It’s clear to me that consumers are fueling the growth in
farmers markets.”
AFT’s America’s Favorite Farmers Markets(tm) contest promotes the value of
farmers markets in communities and helps make the connection between fresh local
foods and the farms and farmland that supply them. America has been losing more
than an acre of farm and ranch land every minute to development, and farmers
markets can play a critical role in the economic health of farms, helping to
keep farmland in agricultural production. Keeping farms viable by providing them
with a venue to sell their products is one of the best ways to save the land
that sustains us.
“Farmers markets offer different opportunities—for farmers it may be a new
venue to put into the marketing mix for their operation, or a way to tap into
the value-added market,” Kirchner adds. “For consumers it’s about fresh,
local food and community. For AFT, it’s an opportunity to bring home the
message that we must work to protect America’s farm and ranch land that makes
healthy food, healthy farms and healthy communities possible.”
This summer, thousands of individuals have voted for more than 1,200 farmers
markets that enrolled in the contest, representing 49 states and the District of
Columbia. But there is still time for more votes and for the top 20 markets to
change. The website is updated each time you visit so you can enjoy watching
participants race to the finish line!  Farmers market consumers are encouraged
to vote for their favorite market at American Farmland Trust’sAmerica’s
Favorite Farmers Markets(tm) website, www.farmland.org/vote—and to tell their
friends and market managers.
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American Farmland Trust is the nation’s leading conservation organization
dedicated to saving America’s farm and ranch land, promoting environmentally
sound farming practices and supporting a sustainable future for farms. Since its
founding in 1980 by a group of farmers and citizens concerned about the rapid
loss of farmland to development, AFT has helped save millions of acres of
farmland from development and led the way for the adoption of conservation
practices on millions more. AFT’s national office is located in Washington,
DC. Phone: 202-331-7300. For more information, visit www.farmland.org.