Much of the expansion of farmers markets has come in the past three years, said Scott Soares, state commissioner of agricultural resources.
Public interest in buying local products "really caught fire," he said. In part, demand seems driven by worries about food safety.
"(Customers) get it here fresh," said Terri Kanief of Boston-based Globe Fish Company, who was in Framingham last Thursday selling seafood. "You don't (know) how long it's been in the grocery store."
Farmers markets give customers a connection to growers and their techniques that they can't find elsewhere, Cole said.
Shoppers also are increasingly conscious of how far their food must travel to get to their table, Soares said.
"Consumers are really recognizing those kinds of impacts that their food choices can make on the environment," he said.
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/archive/x27462244/Farmers-markets-sprouting-up-all-over-Massachusetts#ixzz1VkVKUGIV
Related post:
Food Pantry grant doubles SNAP dollars at the Franklin Farmers Market
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2011/07/franklin-farmers-market-doubles-food.html
This was originally posted to Franklin Matters
