Nutrition Key for Farmers Markets

Nutrition Key for Farmers Markets. I'm Greg Martin with today's Line On Agriculture. I am a big fan of the farmers market and can't wait for my local markets to open up here in a few weeks. The freshest fruits and vegetables just waiting to be served up on the dinner table. The farmers' market season is heating up, matching nutritious food with people in need. Most of Oregon's nearly 100 farmers' markets will be up and running over the next few weeks offering fresh, locally-grown and nutritious food all the way into the fall months, according to Laura Barton of the Oregon Department of Agriculture. BARTON: If you just walk onto any farmers' market site, the whole marketplace is a big playground of nutrition. It offers, of course, fruits and vegetables which are just packed full of nutrition, both in terms of vitamins and fiber, and all those wonderful things. A couple of recent national surveys show an overwhelming majority of American consumers consider nutrition a key factor when making food purchases. Many Oregon farmers' markets will be participating in a couple of special programs that provide money to buy healthy foods. BARTON: What those programs do is allow low income, nutritionally-needy families and elderly citizens of Oregon to take the dollars they get to shop at a farmers' market or a farm stand to buy locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables. By the time a greater array of fresh fruits and vegetables are available, these special nutrition programs will be underway to help bring together Oregonians in need and nutritious foods at farmers' markets. Barton says the farm direct nutrition programs not only benefit the consumer in need, but is a good thing for the grower. BARTON: Many farmers are just so delighted to participate in the program because it makes them feel really good that these shoppers are able to buy their product and know that they are really needed. Barton says the number of farmers' markets in Oregon has grown to nearly a hundred this year, up from only 10 in the early 1990s. BARTON: There's obviously a hunger out there for people who enjoy really fresh food and like to see where the food comes from. Find your local market and make it an early morning outing for the whole family. That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg martin on the Ag Information Network.