8-16 IAN Production Ag

 In the past decade, the number of farmers markets in Idaho increased by more than 150 percent which is up from 20 in 2002  and there are 54 markets operating today.  In recognition of the importance of farmers markets to the state, Governor Otter proclaimed August 4-10 as Idaho Farmers Market Week and shoppers were encouraged to celebrate the event by visiting a local farmers market.  All of that is nice and the whole locavore movement serves local farmers extremely well but one wonders if farmers markets are at all at odds philosophically with production agriculture. No pun intended but that’s a hot potato that I asked Idaho State Department of Agriculture farmers market expert Kim Polzin: “I think if you look at it as the producers you are meeting, would they want to eat what they are producing as well and when you talk with them you get an understanding that they have a passion for the land and a passion for the land that they are tilling and producing food on so you get a sense of how proud they are no matter what size farmer they happen to be. If you are growing 5000 acres of potatoes or the backyard farmer that comes to the market with just a handful of produce, everybody is in it because they love it and understand it and there is a need for then they want to produce the highest quality products regardless of their size. The food safety aspect is always kind of a concern but the more that people get to know the producers, the people who are out there producing these wonderful products, they understand that it is a passion and more than just a living in so many cases.