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  • From: Thamnophis <thamnophis AT gmail.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Disappointing Phoenix farmers markets
  • Date: Thu, 30 Dec 2010 13:34:49 -0600

Farmer's Markets have, traditionally, been places where farmers go to
market the food they produce. That is the historical understanding of
them. And they were this way until recently when greedy people
suddenly realized there was an easy way to capitalize on the good will
a generation of farmers markets have accumulated.

So in the name of profit, they broker foods and handicrafts, asking
and often receiving the higher prices associated with farmer's
markets. Some lie, some lie by omission. We have already heard here of
customers who were shocked to find out how much of their local market
was selling imported, non-local food.

We have also seen the LA news stories showing how wide spread the
misrepresentation of produce is in that area: Strawberries heavily
coated with pesticides being sold as organic, etc.

To me, this is not only unfair, it is immoral and illegal too. I
wouldn't roll my eyes at it.

I agree that if a community market wants to be more like a flea market
than by all means go for it. But 2 things here. How does one assess
what "the community" wants? Do we assume that if a flea market exists
then that is the best market the community could want?
In fact, a number of the farmers markets I've visited allow wholesale
because the organizers are as greedy as the vendors - and no more
interested in local food than the brokers. And many customers not only
want a local food market, but actually think they have one!

And 2, if you a "flea market" type farmers market, why not just call
it what it is, a flea market, rather than pretend or misrepresent it
as a "farmer's" market.

Finally, the existence of deceptive practices and brokering at
farmer's markets actually destroys the local food market by generating
mistrust and frustration from the public. And it does so by
undermining the local producer who can not compete with brokers or
market managers willing to engage in deceptive practices. That is not
fair either.

As a vendor at a local farmer's market, and as an advocate of local
food, minding my own business means I will indeed concern myself with
the honesty of my fellow vendors and my market manager, not hide my
head in the sand and hope it all gets better.

Joe

On 12/30/10, Megan Shoenfelt <shoenfelt.9 AT gmail.com> wrote:
> My first response did have a bit of an attitude to it - my apologies for not
> explaining my position better.
>
> The local food system effort - which can include all types of agricultural
> production, marketing and value-added products - has to be sustainable
> to see the long lasting changes to the way people buy, appreciate and
> support it. It has to be more than an altruistic cause. Sustainable
> agriculture and local food system advocates can make their case proving:
> their economic impact to a community, producing high quality agricultural
> products that people want to pay for, and their impact to the quality of
> life in their community even without a level playing field. Each transaction
> in the market place is an opportunity to market/advertise the many
> indisputable benefits.
>
> It takes constant effort by a producer to share their story effectively and
> to market their product accordingly but that's what they have to do.
>
> So, if local markets want to be very specific about their rules and market
> administration to be a producer-only market, then fine. If farmers are able
> to sell their product profitably and customers want what the farmer is
> selling at a price they are willing to pay - super. Its up to the consumer
> to know what it is they are buying and for the producer to honestly
> represent their product. It seems this honesty issue may be at the heart of
> your concern. Yes, of course, a producer has to abide by the rules that they
> have agreed to.
>
> My personal opinion is that if a community market wants more of a flea
> market (resell) approach, then that's OK too. Obviously, the people selling
> and buying products in that system are OK with the process. If local food
> system advocates spend their time trying to police these other efforts
> rather than making the strong case for buy local, know your farmer, my
> product is the best because.... etc, then its like kids on the playground
> always whining that somethings not fair.
>
> The more rules people want to make to ensure that everything is always
> "fair" just grates at me. (my kids are tired of me telling them to suck it
> up, make your own way and move on....but that's where I am coming from so
> maybe I am a jerk).
>
> There are many exciting ways for farmers to increase market share and to
> produce products more profitably. All this takes time, very hard work and
> creative collaboration with the many "players" in the system. There is a lot
> more to be done than worrying if the guy next to you is selling a pallet
> load of Mexican onions.
>
> The market I organize had a producer last year who was so worried (and
> obnoxious) about what everyone else was doing instead on "minding" their own
> business that all I could do was roll my eyes.
>
>
>
> Wed, Dec 29, 2010 at 11:10 PM, Thamnophis <thamnophis AT gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> David -
>>
>> That is very good to hear. Interesting how some of the response to my
>> initial query was "Go start your own market", when, in my opinion,
>> that is exactly what the brokers/wholesalers should be told.
>>
>> I'll say again - Markets that allow brokers are undermining all our
>> futures by undermining the value-add of local food, local grown. The
>> benefits of local food should include knowing (and trusting) your
>> producers to use sustainable methods, grow good tasting food rather
>> than good shipping/storing food, supporting local business, rural
>> development, etc.
>>
>> None of these things happen when brokers sell their Mexican produce at
>> the market. So I am very happy to see vendors were able to make that
>> change, with the help of concerned customers - may it be the beginning
>> of the end for brokers at Farmer's Markets!
>>
>> Joe
>>
>> On 12/29/10, David Ruble <bigruble AT hotmail.com> wrote:
>> >
>> > First a disclaimer about my business - I've failed twice now as an urban
>> > farmer and have become a home-based baker for a local market.
>> >
>> > Next (in regards to this discussion) - I sell my bread through a local
>> > market organizer, The Market Umbrella, in Richmond, Virginia. They
>> manage
>> > three or four markets throughout the year. Next year their most
>> succesful
>> > market of the four will transition to being a purely vendor grown,
>> > vendor
>> > made, and hand made market. This is causing a lot of grief for a very
>> small
>> > set of growers who grow some of their produce but resale quite a bit of
>> > other produce. This move has been influenced from two fronts - (1)
>> growers
>> > who are dedicated to bringing local in-season produce to market who were
>> > upset with resellers and (2) market customers who were in disbelief at
>> the
>> > timing of some of the produce that was coming to market.
>> >
>> > This years vendor application is letting folks know now that this is how
>> the
>> > main market will operate, but variances will be granted to exisiting
>> > CSAs
>> > who do some resell of produce. Next year will be different, and the
>> market
>> > managers are being strict in their adherance to having 75% grower/food
>> > vendors and 25% crafts & prepared foods (food carts, coffee tents, etc.)
>> > vendors at the market. This market currently has over 80 vendors during
>> the
>> > peak of the sunmer season.
>> >
>> > The other three markets that are managed by The Market Umbrella strive
>> > to
>> be
>> > homegrown, homemade, and/or handmade, but exceptions will still be
>> granted
>> > while those markets grow into maturity.
>> >
>> > I liked the idea of having signage stating your produce was grown
>> yourself -
>> > it definately generates conversation from the customers. In my case,
>> folks
>> > ask, "Did you bake all this yourself?", "Yes, I did." "How big is your
>> > oven?!", "It's a standard home oven."
>> >
>> > Regards,
>> >
>> > David of Tater Daves
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2010 12:56:51 -0500
>> > From: idyllwildfarm AT gmail.com
>> > To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
>> > Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Disappointing Phoenix farmers markets
>> >
>> > This Fall, I put out a small sign, maybe 3in X 4in, that simply stated
>> that
>> > we grow what we sell.
>> > The customer reaction was interesting; many observed that if I was
>> > saying
>> > that, there must be
>> > "growers" who didn't. I didn't get into big discussions about it or
>> finger
>> > anyone (most of the customers,
>> > once it was pointed out there was a sell what you bought contingent,
>> guessed
>> > on their own). Point
>> > made. The challenge for me was articulating my suspicions using facts,
>> not
>> > feelings.
>> >
>> >
>> > However, what if it turns out that most of the people who attend my
>> market
>> > don't care if they're buying
>> > from the grower or want to be able to buy just about anything once a
>> > week
>> in
>> > their neighborhood?
>> > Then, it's incumbent on me to make sure the people who want it know that
>> > I've got it or if necessary
>> > leave an established market that's a free for all for better pastures-
>> > or
>> a
>> > market that requires labeling at a minimum.
>> >
>> >
>> > To me, this discussion applies to how vendors handle the organic or
>> > sustainable question at markets
>> > when they imply NOP compliance or shades of NOP compliance without
>> evidence.
>> > What is fascinating
>> > to me is how the most strident consumer advocate suspends disbelief at
>> > farmers markets. It is also hilarious
>> > that the people who run the market who let vendors mislead customers
>> trust
>> > those same vendors to give
>> > them a reliable sales figure to base their market fee...
>> > Regards,
>> > Mike
>> > Idyllwild Farm
>> > _______________________________________________ Market-farming mailing
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>
>
>
> --
> Megan Shoenfelt
> Program Coordinator
> Agroecosystems Management Program
> Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center
> 201 Thorne Hall
> 1680 Madison Ave
> Wooster, Ohio 44691
> 330.202.3537 (office) 330.988.0304 (cell)
> shoenfelt.9 AT osu.edu
>




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