California Business Minute™

Hi, I am Tim Johnson and welcome to the California Business Minute.

United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has proclaimed August 1-7, 2010
as National Farmers Market Week.

This year marks the 11th annual National Farmers Market Week. Since the USDA began
declaring National Farmers Market Week in 2000, the number of farmers markets has
almost doubled, from 2,863 markets in 2000 to 5,274 in 2009.

“Farmers markets are good for your health, good for your community, and good for the
economy” says Stacy Miller, Executive Director of the Farmers Market Coalition,
nonprofit supporting farmers markets across the country. “During Farmers Market Week,
we invite everyone to celebrate the freshest foods from America’s most entrepreneurial
farmers by supporting their local farmers markets.”

Facts about Farmers Markets:

• California, New York, Iowa, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Massachusetts,
  Ohio, and Kentucky are the states with the most farmers markets

• The USDA estimates that farmers markets provide income opportunities for at least
  150,000 direct-marketing farmers and food producers across the country

• More than 870 markets operate nationwide between November and May in 2009, a time often
  considered ‘off season.’ This number is growing rapidly

• It’s estimated that approximately $1.3 billion in direct farm-to-consumer sales
  occurred in farmers markets in 2009

• Farmers at farmers markets donate hundreds of thousands of pounds of fresh produce to
  local social service agencies across the country each year

I am Tim Johnson and this has been the California Business Minute.