Farmers' Markets Producing High Yields

Southern Missouri's farmers' markets are growing and gaining popularity all the time. While there are more than 140 farmers' markets throughout the state, southern Missouri has a large share of those. The Springfield Business Journal took notice of the local market growth and featured farmers' markets in this recent article.

Farmers' Markets Producing High Yields

With increased talk of food-borne illnesses in products from tomatoes to peanut butter, farmers’ markets are growing in popularity.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture reports 140 farmers markets across the state, up from 97 in 2004. The department says the reason is consumers’ increased awareness of the origins of their food and a desire to know more about how their food is produced.

“Often what you find when purchasing supermarket products is that the majority of your dollars spent goes into shipping and production costs of produce,” said Lane McConnell, MDA farmers’ markets specialist, in a news release. “At your local farmers’ market, you are buying directly from the farmers; therefore, what you see is what you get.”

Southwest Missouri is no exception. Greater Springfield Farmers’ Market spokesman Henry Beersman said the market has 90 vendors this year, despite competition from a second market in Springfield on Commercial Street, a new market in Willard and talk of another starting in Republic.

Read the rest of the story on southern Missouri's farmers' markets here.