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Small Farm NewsVOLUME III2002SMALL FARM CENTER • COOPERATIVE EXTENSION • UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIAFarmers Markets: Trends and Prospectsby Desmond Jolly, director, Small Farm Program, and extension economist, Department ofAgricultural and Resource Economics, UC DavisGenerally, the economic performance of small family farms has been nothing tocheer about. And the recently passed Farm Bill 2002 has done little to encouragethe notion that prospects will improve noticeably over the next decade. However, anumber of innovations in production and farm management, and particularly in marketing,have created some of the brighter prospects in a generally hazy picture. Directmarketing, in general, and farmers markets in particular, have enabled the survival andgrowth of many smaller scale farm operations.TrendsFarmers markets reemerged in the 1970s as a mechanism to connect farmers andconsumers — providing farmers the opportunity to market their products at retailwhile enabling consumers access to farm-direct products. The move was a no-brainer.Even so, it took some effort to change the food marketing paradigm and the institutionaland political inertia.Consumers responded to the opportunity to move beyond the mass merchandisingthat characterized food marketing trends in the post-war industrial era. The resultinggrowth has been phenomenal. By the most recent USDA estimate, there were 2,863farmers markets in 2000 – an increase of 63 percent over the 1990 total of 1,755. Whilestill no challenge to the number or sales of supermarkets, sales of farmers markets areclose to $1 billion, totalling $900 million in 2000.On a broader level, direct marketing alternatives are increasingly used by farmersto market their products. The number of farms marketing directly grew from 86,432 in1992 to 93,140 in 1997, according to the USDA survey. California experienced a 13percent increase in these farms, going from 5,229 in 1992 to 5,901 in 1997. Californiaalso had the largest number of farms engaged in direct marketing: 5,901, followed byTexas: 5,226; Pennsylvania: 5,508; Ohio: 4,038; and Oregon: 4,539. Additionally, Californiahad the second highest rate of increase in the average value of direct marketedproducts per farm: 80.3 percent, and the third largest increase in the total value ofdirect marketed products: 103.5 percent.California was also first in the total value of direct marketed products: $73,179,000.But in terms of the average value of direct market sales per farm: $12,401, Californiaranked fifth, behind Rhode Island: $17,210; Massachusetts: $16,170; Connecticut:$14,186; and New Hampshire: $12,541.Diverse MarketsEnjoy SuccessChavez Plaza Farmers Market“The government shops here,” saysDan Best, market manager, as he surveyssuit and tie shoppers slipping in and outof food booths at Sacramento’s ChavezPlaza Certified Farmers Market. Thedowntown plaza wears a necklace of governmentbuildings whose occupants regularlyflood the Wednesday market duringbreaks and lunch hours.Music from a mariachi band streamsacross the plaza to greet customers. Vendorscall out “Free samples!” frombrightly colored tents. Customers chooseand then eat their selections under tallshade trees ringing the plaza.The vibrant Wednesday market beganin 1988 with 30 farmers. “It was aninstant success,” says Best. Once an areafrequented by shady characters, the revitalizedplaza and its market receive tre-— CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 — CONTINUED ON PAGE 6IN THIS ISSUE1 2Farmers Markets:Trends amd ProspectsDiverse Markets EnjoySuccess9Director’s MessageFood Safety: SamplingGuidelines12Calfornia Farm ConferenceShort Course: Adding Valueto Farm and Natural ResourceProducts

SMALL FARM NEWS VOLUME III 2002Director’s MessageCelebrate Farmers MarketsDesmond JollyWhen a few ‘back-to-the landers’organized a farmers market inDavis back in the mid-1970s, few of us,including the organizers, could haveimagined that it would become the centralcommunity institution that definesthe public face and character of the city.This is not to depreciate the communityvalue of one of the world’s bestpublic universities. But the public doesnot engage with the university the wayit does withthe farmersmarket.T h eDavis FarmersMarkethas evolvedfrom ratherhumble beginnings— adozen farmersor so selling off the backs of theirpickups along the sidewalk at the northwestcorner of Central Park.But like other products of a 1970scultural revolution against ‘WonderBread’ — natural foods, organic foods,herbal remedies, meditation, holisticmedicine and others — it tapped a responsivechord among consumers, particularlythe post-war 1960s generation.Recall that back in the ‘60s we were stillcaught in the web of a ‘meat and potatoes’Midwest cuisine. Even in California,iceberg lettuce was de riguer.Above and right: Shoppers stroll and a chefprepares a meal at the Davis Farmers Market.It was the ‘back-to-the landers,’ thesmall scale, pioneer farmers of the ‘70sand ‘80s, who created the perception thatproduce could be exciting, and farmersmarkets came to be associated with freshness,with flavor, with a wholesomenessthat seemed attractive compared with thesupermarket choices of gas ripened tomatoes,immature fruit, and iceberg lettuce.We should note that today’s supermarketbears little resemblance to the supermarketsof the ‘60s. They haveadapted, and in so doing, have incorporatedmany of the attributes of farmersmarkets. So all consumers are now beneficiariesof the innovations developed byCalifornia’s small farmers.Even so, farmers markets continueto grow in popularity for a variety ofreasons, including the atmosphere.And absent this growth, small scalefarming would be inconsequential inour agricultural landscape. So celebratewith us, in this season of abundantproduce, the birth and growth ofCalifornia’s and the U.S.’s farmers markets.P.S. Added Value ProductsOur next issue of Small FarmNews will be devoted to added valueproducts. If you are involved with theproduction and marketing of addedvalue products, we might list your farmand products in an added value directorywe will be developing.For more information, contact theSmall Farm Center at (530) 752-8136,or e-mail: sfcenter@ucdavis.eduVisit the Small Farm Center's online library athttp://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/libraryto order small farm publications on topics ranging fromadzuki beans to agricultural legislation.2

VOLUME III 2002SMALL FARM NEWSprogram newsVisitorsMembers of the AgriculturalDevelopmentProject for India visitedwith Desmond Jolly recentlyat the Small FarmCenter. From various regionsof India, membersinclude Paramajit SinghBal, farmer and managingpartner of Nasirpur FarmProducts; Seema Bathla,agricultural economist,Dehli University; Shalini Kala, program officer,World Food Program; Parmod Kumar, economist,National Council of Applied EconomicResearch; Ashok Kundu, senior research fellow,University of Kalyani; Milind Murugkar, assistantprofessor, K.K. Wagh College of Engineering;and Saleem Sultan, owner of Sultan ColdStorage, Uttar Pradesh.The seven-member Agricultural Development Project forIndia visited the Small Farm Center this summer.WelcomeJan Mickler joins UC Cooperative Extension,Stanislaus County, as the new vegetablecrops advisor. She recently completed her doctoralprogram in plant pathology at the Universityof California, Riverside, and brings a wealthof plant pathology experience to the vegetablecrops industry in Stanislaus County.UC Cooperative Extension, Santa CruzCounty, welcomes new strawberry and caneberryadvisor Mark Bolda, whose assignment also coversMonterey and San Benito counties. Boldacomes from private industry with six years’ experiencein berry research and production. Heholds a master’s degree in plantprotection and pest managementfrom UC Davis.Small Farm Programworkgroup member PaulVossen, a farm advisor with UCCooperative Extension, SonomaCounty, has returned from sabbaticalleave in Cordoba, Spain,where he spent 10 monthsstudying olive oil production,processing and evaluation. Heis developing three publications based on his researchin Spain..GrantsThe Small Farm Center won a USDA RiskManagement Agency (RMA) Risk ManagementGrant for $90,000 to develop a risk managementeducation project.PresentationsSmall Farm Program director Desmond Jolly,farm advisor Mark Gaskell, UC Cooperative Extension,San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties,and Small Farm Program workgroup memberTrevor Suslow, extension specialist, presentedworkshops at the Third National Small Farm ConferenceSeptember 17-20, 2002, in Albuquerque,New Mexico.Small Farm Program farm advisor RamiroLobo, UC Cooperative Extension, San DiegoCounty, attended the National Extension TourismConference September 16-19, 2002, in TraverseCity, Michigan.Small FarmCenterSMALL FARM NEWS is published by the Small FarmCenter, University of California, One Shields Avenue,Davis, CA 95616-8699 • phone: (530) 752-8136fax (530) 752-7716 • e-mail: sfcenter@ucdavis.eduweb site: http://www.sfc.ucdavis.eduDirector: Desmond Jolly, dajolly@ucdavis.eduAdministrative Asst.: Linda Vieira, lmvieira@ucdavis.eduAdministrative Asst.: Birgit Hempel, sfcenter@ucdavis.eduContributing Editors: Jamie Anderson and Gillian BradyEditor/Designer: Susan McCue, semccue@yahoo.comTechnical Asst.: Solomon Teklu, steklu@ucdavis.eduStudent Asst.: Samuel TetThe Small Farm Center links those who need informationon small-scale farming with those who have the information.The Center produces publications and a newsletter;sponsors conferences and seminars; holds a library ofperiodicals, reports and books; gives referrals; and answersnumerous requests for information.Readers are encouraged to send us information, expressviews, and contact us for assistance. Mention of a specificproduct is intended for the reader’s information or as anexample of a similar product—not as a recommendation ofthat specific product.3

SMALL FARM NEWS VOLUME III 2002Farmers Markets – FROM PAGE 1While California has experienced tremendousgrowth in the direct marketingof farm products, the per farm figures forRhode Island and Massachusetts point toeven greater possibilities for direct marketingof California farm products.Policy and Institutional SupportThe bulk of the credit for farmersmarkets as a marketing innovation shouldaccrue to those farmers and consumeradvocates who initiated policy and institutionalchanges that opened the way.Legislative members in some cases had tobend the rules regarding areas such asstandard packs, and we know how difficultit can be to turn the battleship even afew degrees. Nonetheless, in Californiaand elsewhere, legislation gave legal statusto farmers markets while codifying theterms and conditions for certification.These conditions include who can sellproduce at a farmers market, and the prohibitionsregarding resale of produce.More recently, certification has come torequire inspections of production plots tocertify that farmers actually grow or arecapable of producing what they sell.Early on, in the late 1970s and early1980s, the California Department of Foodand Agriculture (CDFA) deployed a cadreof staff to provide technical assistance tobeginning markets and to oversee marketgrowth and performance. Fiscal constraintshave reduced the ability of CDFAto offer the same level of technical assistanceit earlier afforded, although it stillmaintains ultimate responsibility for administrativeand legal enforcement ofregulations. The CDFA delegates manyenforcement responsibilities to the countybased agricultural commissioners.By the 1990s, the farmers marketphenomenon was no longer regarded asa sideshow, an indulgence of elite foodconscious yuppies. For thousands of familyscale farmers, it had become the mainevent. USDA began to take notice of theexistence of farmers markets and theircontributions to farm income, and consumerdemand for farm fresh foods and a‘high-touch’ relationship to their foodsources. Former USDA Secretary DanGlickman launched farmers markets outsidethe USDA building in Washington,and he and former Deputy Secretary RichardRominger participated in many highprofile publicity events to highlight andprofile farmers markets and to move themmore into the mainstream of the foodmarketing system.USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Servicebegan to allocate more effort awayfrom their traditional emphasis on brickand mortar markets and towards farmersmarkets. USDA sponsored farmers marketconferences in various parts of thecountry, such as one in Santa Fe, NewMexico. USDA also cooperated withCornell University in a project that usedfocus groups to identify issues and needsof farmers market stakeholders in 10Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states. Theyalso sponsored a session held in conjunctionwith the North American Farm DirectMarketing Association conference inGrand Rapids, Michigan, in January 2000.USDA also has set up the FarmersMarket Hotline with an 800 number (1-800-384-8704) that provides logisticalinformation on markets, and has producedthe National Directory of FarmersMarkets in 1996 and 1998. The agencyalso has conducted periodic surveys offarmers markets, and is involved in a cooperativeagreement with the UC SmallFarm Center to produce a farmers marketprofessional development trainingprogram.Patronage of MarketsCustomer demographics at farmersmarkets indicate a predominantly highincome, highly educated, and not veryethnically diverse clientele. In his studyof 21 farmers markets in San DiegoCounty in 1998, Small Farm ProgramFarm Advisor Ramiro Lobo found the followingwith regards to customer demographicpatterns: 76 percent were female;88 percent were more than 36 years old;56 percent had at least a four year collegedegree; 82 percent identified themselvesas white; 24 percent earned less than$40,000; 30 percent earned between$40,000 and $60,000; 35 percent earnedmore than $80,000; and 14 percent earnedmore than $100,000.Rutgers University extension specialistRamu Govindasamy’s 1998 New Jerseystudy found that 84 percent of farmersmarket consumers identified themselvesas white; 88 percent were older than36 years; and 54 percent were older than51 years. Similarly to the Lobo San Diegostudy, the New Jersey study indicated that83 percent were women, but 68 percenthad no children living in the household.Regarding educational level, 62 percenthad a college degree, and 55 percent hadhousehold incomes of more than $60,000.Another 24 percent earned between$40,000 and $60,000, and 21 percent hadincomes less than $40,000.In his 2000 national survey, EconomistTim Payne of the USDA AgriculturalMarketing Service found that customersspent an average of $17.30 per week inthe national survey compared with $19.25in the San Diego survey and $16 in theNew Jersey survey. Payne notes that twothirdsof customers live within 10 milesof the market and are motivated to buylocal products.Impacts on VendorsGovindasamy’s study of producers atNew Jersey’s farmers markets was basedon a relatively small sample of 36. Nonetheless,the results suggest the potentialfor enhancing sales of family farms. A reported43 percent sold over $100,000, and39 percent sold less than $15,000. Farmersutilized other marketing channels aswell. For 40 percent of the farmers, salesfrom farmers markets provided 20 percentor less of their incomes; 30 percent earnedfrom 25 – 40 percent of their income; and34 percent (approximately one-third)from 50 – 100 percent of their income.Growing PainsAs with organic foods, farmers marketshave become a trendy, hip thing, andas with organic foods, the trendy, hip thingis fraught with potential problems.4

VOLUME III 2002SMALL FARM NEWSWhereas the original motive for certifiedfarmers markets was to enhance the performanceof small farmer marketing byproviding a direct avenue to consumers,motivations for starting a farmers markethave become much more diverse.For example, agencies involved inurban redevelopment see farmers marketsas another tool to revitalize central cities;food security advocates see them as amethod of providing low income householdswith access to farm-fresh, nutritiousfoods, and innovative entrepreneurs seethese markets as a profit making opportunity,and some are not certified farmersmarkets. The blurring of purpose can leadto a disjunction between the welfare offarmers and the interests of the market’ssponsors or operators. Even in the caseof certified farmers markets, which predominatein California,there is evidence thatthe interests of marketmanagement and interestsof small familyscale farmers are not alwaysin total alignment.Thus, a significantemerging challengeis the clarificationof the purposes offarmers markets andthe optimization of theinterests of family scalefarmers, consumers,communities and marketmanagement.In his 2000 national survey, Paynefound that 63 percent of farmers marketshad vendor-operated boards of directors;18 percent were operated by governmentorganizations, and 42 percent were runby non-profits.In another study by Govindasamy inNew Jersey, 4 percent of a sample of 24market managers or operators reportedthat they were self-employed, 37.5 percentwere employed by a city, townshipor county; 29.2 percent were employedby markets, chambers of commerce ornon-profits; and 29 percent were volunteers.A vendor rearranges fruit at aCalifornia farmers market.With this diversity in structure, purposeand governance, one would reasonablyexpect that the performance of marketswould be quite variable. In the NewJersey study, 83 percent of managers whoresponded to the study had no farmingexperience. This might lead to the disjunctionwe alluded to earlier between theinterests of management and the interestof farmers.The Issue of IntegrityFarmers markets, particularly “certified”farmers markets, present a set ofproduct attributes to customers that goesbeyond the produce per se. Farmers marketspurport to sell farm-direct products,with exceptions for some non-farm productsallowed into the market. The datafrom consumer surveys indicates that consumersperceive the farmdirectproducts as denotingfreshness and quality. Moreover,many consumers wantto support family farmers.But enforcement of thisdictum of farm producedproducts sold by farmers isproving problematic, andthe issue of market integrityhas consumed substantialenergy, and generated muchanguish amongst marketmanagers, farmers, vendors,agricultural commissionersand CDFA. In California, farmers musthave their production certified and shouldhave a list of products on their certificate.They are allowed to sell products on behalfof one other certified producer. Butthere is much talk, if not documentation,of vendors reselling products not producedon their farms.CDFA has proposed a schedule ofpenalties for various violations, with finesranging from $50 for minor infractionsto $1,000 for more serious ones. But theability to enforce these regulations is inquestion. Agricultural commissioners,who comprise the second line of defenseafter market managers, have a substantialworkload, and farmers markets areonly one component of their responsibilities.And an increased level of administrativefatigue appears to be emerging.To the extent that farm-direct is a keyattribute for consumers to patronize farmersmarkets, and to the extent that directmarketing is a key method of improvingthe performance of family scale farms, theissue of reselling is not trivial and continuesto warrant concentrated attention.Given the administrative constraints derivingfrom budgetary and resource limits,markets will have to develop supplementarymeans of maintaining marketintegrity. This will require a more cohesiveand coordinated strategy amongst theseveral hundred markets in California.The Southland Farmers MarketAssociation’s Code of Ethics provides atemplate for self-governance as a complementto the CDFA enforcement system.Southland’s Value Statement also clearlyoutlines what consumers can expect anddemand from their member markets, andin turn, what farmer-vendors and communitiescan expect from Southland markets.ProspectsThere clearly is a valued niche forfarmers markets in the food distributionsystem, as indicated by the robust rate ofgrowth during the past 20 years, and inthe equally impressive geographic spreadacross the urban and rural landscape.Consumers identify farmers markets witha number of positive attributes. In fact,large numbers of supermarkets have developedproduce merchandising systemsthat mimic, to the extent possible, farmersmarkets. But with growth comes challenges.The farmers market system hasreached a level that demands higher levelsof management, greater coordinationand more effective governance. Some ofthe spontaneity may be lost in this process,but what may be gained issustainability and high levels of customersatisfaction. One would have to judge theprospects for continued growth as bright,providing that the challenges are met in atimely, forthright manner.5

SMALL FARM NEWS VOLUME III 2002Diverse – FROM PAGE 1mendous support from the surroundingcity organizations, government agencies,and local vendors who credit the marketwith reinvigorating the area.Now 40 to 50 farmers pack the marketduring peak season. Shoppers can pickfrom a dazzling variety of offerings, fromfresh rhubarb to flaming red tomatoes.“We try to break up commodities to createcustomer movement,” says Best.As for findingnew vendors,Dan Bestsays, “We’re intor eplacementmode, not recruitmentmode.”When afarmer leavesthis market,Best turns toother farmers inthe nine marketSacramentoCertified Farmers Market system that hemanages to find the needed commodity.Before managing the market system, Beststarted out as one of its first farmers, sellingcorn, tomatoes, and bell peppers fromhis family’s farm in Lodi.A Farmer’s Perspective“I’ve got a loyal cult following,” saysTony Mora of Mora Family Farms inDenair, California. “It’s the people whoreally want good fruit,” explains Mora,who says his farmers market customerskeep coming back even though “I’vecharged $1.50 a pound for 10 years.”Mora’s family grows 57 acres ofpeaches, plums and nectarines that theysell at 35 or 40 markets a week in the BayArea and Sacramento regions. Gross salesfluctuate, says Mora. As for customersales, at this market Mora says he hasplenty of one-pound customers. “We’rehustling for a buck,” says Mora. “Thelunch crowd …want one peach for dessert.”His goal is to raise customer spendingto $3 each, and to that end, he’splanted 19 different stone fruit varieties.“Variety is the key,” says Mora. “Peoplebuy more then.”One of those people is Susan Rose,who walks to the market every Wednesdayfrom her federal government jobacross the street. “I like to help out thesmall farmer, because I know how hard itis for them to make ends meet,” Rose says.“It’s well publicized how hard it is to keepthe small farm alive these days.”Market vegetables glow with health; Dan Best getsmarket help from his daughter Angela Allen; andRenae Best discusses mustard greens with a vendor.On-site Education ProgramBefore Renae Best started her farmersmarket education program, some ofthe children “didn’t even know what apeach was,” she says. Best and her husbandDan had managed farmers marketsin Sacramento’s low income areas for yearswhen she decided to develop an educationalprogram to teach children aboutfresh fruits and vegetables.Begun in 1996, her program linksfarmers markets with fourth grade studentsin Sacramento and Elk Groveschools. Area farmers markets serve asBest’s lively outdoor classroom. As manyas three classes a day and 34 students at atime pour off the bus to start their lessons.After her introduction, Best sendsthem off with worksheets they must fillout “like a scavenger hunt. It’s all aboutthe nutritional value of the food that’s inthe market.”The children also tally the number offarmers from each California county byreading the farm banners posted in eachstall. When the worksheets are complete,students trade them for a market tokenworth 25 cents. “Sometimes the little girlsput their tokens together to buy flowersfor their mom,” says Best.This fall, Best launches a new programat Sacramento’s Cal Expo. Studentsvisiting its demonstration farm will thentour the new Cal Expo Farmers Market.“They can see it in the field and on thetable,” says BestCameronP a r kFarmer’sMarketT h eCameron ParkFarmers Marketin El DoradoCounty is onlyin its secondyear of existence,but has alreadygained aloyal group ofvendors and customers. Alauna Bray, whosold her famous garlic and heirloomPomodoro tomatoes at other area marketsfor eight years, was determined to makethe market a reality. Last year, she gathereda small group of growers to sell theirproduce at the market just weeks beforeit opened. Due to last year’s success, thisyear’s market boasts a variety of products,from seasonal farm produce and fresh cutflowers to organic olive oil and freshbaked bread.“Selling at the market is the mostwonderful thing I have ever done in myentire life,” says Bray. “It’s fun, and youget to know people.”The Cameron Park location was chosenbecause the area, east of Sacramento,is growing so rapidly. Located on a parkinglot between the grassy picnic area andchildren’s playground at Christa McAuliffePark, the market is held on Wednesdaysand Saturdays and provides an ideal locationfor family outings.Unlike other area markets with longwaiting lists, this market is looking for additionalvendors for next year. While lo-6

VOLUME III 2002SMALL FARM NEWScal farmers have a good variety of highquality produce, the shorter growing seasonin El Dorado County prohibits themfrom providing a steady supply throughthe fall season. So the market has openedits space to outside vendors, and has agrower coming from Fresno and two familiesbringing Asian vegetables from SacramentoCounty.“We will continue to expand andbring in vendors from outside of ElDorado County,” says Donna Sauber, markettreasurer. “Consumers want cherriesall summer, when they are only ripe for afew weeks locally.”Customersalso like the varietyof productsbeing broughtin by the out-oftowngrowers.Market managerAlan Clarke sayseducating theconsumer issomething farmersmarkets dowell. In August, one of the vendors friedokra to demonstrate how it can be preparedwithout the so-called “sliminess”many people dislike. Growers also talk totheir customers about how the produceis grown and harvested. Many growersalso provide printed recipes for the lesscommonly known Asian vegetables.Alauna Bray is already working onher list of vendors for next year’s market.Interested farmers can reach her at (530)676-3509.Ferry Plaza Farmers MarketTwice a week along the San FranciscoBay, an unremarkable urban corner blossomsinto a colorful market. Every Tuesdayand Saturday, producers and vendorsarrive, the white tents go up, and 5,000to 8,000 shoppers sample, purchase, andeat their way through the Ferry PlazaFarmers Market.This bustling market in downtownSan Francisco, coordinated by the CenterFarmers market scenes include this green hairedvendor, fresh rhubarb, and Tony Mora at his fruit stand.for Urban Education about SustainableAgriculture (CUESA), opened on a Saturdayin May 1993 and has been held eversince. Many of the farmers who squeakedthrough its first lean year, barely makingenough money for gas, are still there today.Now they consider this their mostsuccessful market.The Saturday Ferry Plaza FarmersMarket brings 80 producers — farmers,fishermen and women, flower and plantgrowers, and cheese makers — and 20vendors — bakers, local restaurants, acoffee cart, and chocolate makers — togetheron a parking lot at Embarcaderoand Green.“It’s a delicate balance in the market.We try to make sure we have enough ofeverything, but not too much,” saidTatiana Graf, CUESA’s communicationsmanager.According to Steve Clemens, marketmanager, “The big things that people likeabout our market are the quality of theproduct, the mix of products, and thegrower participation.”This informal educational exchangebetween growers and customers has beena signature of the Ferry Plaza Market, andpart of what makes shoppers so dedicatedto their favorite sellers.Through the “Meet the Producer andShop with the Chef” event, CUESA connectsfar-flung producers and urban chefsevery Saturday from April to November.Sixty attentive shoppers sit around anoutdoor kitchen to hear a producer describehow they grow or make the featureditem, and then watch a chef prepare it.After the cooking demonstration, thecrowd samples the dish and gets a copyof the recipe.These regular shoppers are the heartof the Ferry Plaza Market. Producers describethem as consistent, loyal, and veryknowledgeable about food. They are thetrue San Francisco “foodies.” Characterizedby an appreciation for fresh, highqualityfoods, gourmet dishes, and newflavors, foodies trek to the market in anyweather — rain, shine, or fog — for theirweekly purchases. And they turn out inlarge numbers,pushingthe marketto nearcapacity.“Rightnow, even ifwe had amarketingbudget, weprobablywouldn’twant to useit becauseit’s so crowded already,” says managerClemons.Despite the crowds, public transportationto the market is very limited. Sinceonly one railcar stops nearby, an estimated60 - 70 percent of shoppers drive there.This makes parking a hassle and severelylimits the customer base.In spring 2003, the Ferry Plaza FarmersMarket will move three blocks downEmbarcadero into the newly remodeled,historic Ferry Building. The Ferry Buildinghas much better access to public transportation,which will make the market accessibleto a much broader audience.Article authors: Jamie Anderson, graduateassistant, and Gillian Brady, programrepresentative, Small Farm Center, andSusan McCue, editor. Photography: JamieAnderson and Susan McCue.7

SMALL FARM NEWS VOLUME III 2002publicationsresourcesweb sitesControlling the Chaos: Suggested Guidelines for Implementation and Managementof a Retail Farmers Market provides detailed information fromthe Economics Institute at Loyola University New Orleans, the organizationthat runs the city's Crescent City Farmers Market. Cost: $30 plusshipping and handling. Contact: Loyola Twomey Center, 7214 St. CharlesAve., Box 907, New Orleans, LA 70118; Crescent City Farmers Market:(504) 861-5898, or online at http://www.crescentcityfarmersmarket.com/markets/merchandise.php.Starting and Strengthening Farmers’ Markets in Pennsylvania, Second Edition is astraightforward guide that provides tips on launching a market and maintaining it withorganizational and marketing tools. Cost: Free. Contact: The Center for Rural Pennsylvania,200 North Third Street, Suite 600, Harrisburg, PA 17101; (717) 787-9555.Farmers Markets: Consumer Trends, Preferences and Characteristics is produced byRutgers University in New Jersey and focuses on the state’s farmers markets. The 38-page report includes demographics, consumption trends of fresh fruits and vegetables,preferences for organic produce, and amount spent per visit. Cost: Download is freefrom http://aesop.rutgers.edu/~agecon/agmkt.htm. Contact: Ramu Govindasamy,Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 55 Dudley Rd., New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8520; (732) 932-9171 ext. 25.Other related resources at this Rutgers web site include Farmers’ Markets: ManagersCharacteristics and Factors Affecting Market Organization, and Farmers’ Markets:Producers’ Characteristics and Status of Their Business.Farmers Markets and Rural Economic Development: Entrepreneurship, Small BusinessIncubation and Job Creation in the Rural Northeast provides insights for farmersmarket sponsors, extension staff and economic development officials about how farmersmarkets contribute to local economic development. Cost: $4.25. Contact: FarmingAlternatives Program, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853; (607) 255-9832; http://www.cals.cornell.edu/agfoodcommunity/afs_ld.cfmU.S. Farmers Markets 2000: A Study of Emerging Trends provides detailed informationincluding market management structure, total number of vendors, and averagecustomer spending. Cost: Download is free at http://www.ams.usda.gov/directmarketing/publications.htm. Contact: Velma Lakins, Marketing Services Branch, USDA, Room2644 South, 1400 Independence Ave. S.W. Washington, D.C. 20250-0269; no phonenumber available; fax number: (202) 690-0031; or web site above.Trends in Agricultural Land and Lease Values for 2002 is a report published by theCalifornia Chapter of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers.The report shows that California’s Central Coast land values have remained largely thesame since the year 2000. For report details, visit the society’s web site at http://www.asfmra.org/fsitemap.htmNEW FARMERS MARKET RESOURCESForthcoming UC Small Farm Center/USDA farmers market publications include Startinga Farmers Market; Farmers Market Management: Management Skills for FarmersMarket Managers; and Growing Your Market. Publication is expected in early2003. For details or to be added to the waiting list, contact the Small Farm Center at(530) 752-8136 or e-mail: sfcenter@ucdavis.edu.California Department ofFood and Agriculture-Regulationshttp://www.cdfa.ca.gov/cdfa/pendingregs/California Electronic Benefit TransferProgramhttp://www.ebtproject.ca.gov/California Federation of CertifiedFarmers’ Marketshttp://farmersmarket.ucdavis.edu/California Farm Conferencehttp://www.californiafarmconference.com/Certified Farmers’ Markets ofSacramentohttp://www.california-grown.com/Ferry Plaza Farmers Marketshttp://www.ferryplazafarmersmarket.com/Santa Monica Farmers Marketshttp://www.farmersmarket.santa-monica.org/Small Farm Center Farmers MarketLinkshttp://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/docs/farmmk.htmlSouthland Farmers MarketAssociationhttp://www.sfma.netStockton Certified Farmers Marketshttp://www.stocktonfarmersmarket.orgUSDA Electronic Benefit Transferhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/menu/admin/ebt/ebt.htmUSDA Farmers Marketshttp://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/index.htm8

VOLUME III 2002SMALL FARM NEWSFood Safety: Sampling GuidelinesReprinted with permission of Southland Farmers Market Associationfood safetyProduce can be cleaned in two ways:•You can wash your produce before coming to themarket.•You can wash your produce at the market in a regularsink (but not in a restroom sink), in a temporarysink set up at markets, or you can clean yourproduce by immersing your products completelyunder water in a bucket provided by the market.Hands can be cleaned at three places:•A regular toilet sink with a single-service (liquid)soap and single-service (paper) towels.•A gravity fed-system (water must drain down a tub)where water runs over your hands, supplied withsingle-service soap and towels.•A gravity-fed system with single-service soap andtowels at your own vehicle.Utensils must be cleaned with one of three acceptablesanitizer solutions.The following recipes are good for four hours at yourown sink, or two hours at a centralized market setup.Iodine is good for four hours in either set-up.• 100 ppm chlorine: 1/2 ounce per gallon of water(1/2 ounce = one tablespoon) OR two capfuls ofbleach from a quart bleach bottle.• 200 ppm quatemary ammonium: 1/2 ounce pergallon of water.• 25 ppm iodine: 1/2 ounce per 2.5 gallons of water.Knives should be stored in a sanitizer solution whennot in use. Cutting boards and other items used insampling (containers) must be sanitized and air-driedbefore utilized. Sanitizer solution can be applied byimmersion or with a spray bottle. All utensilsshould be food grade (approved forfood contact), non-absorbent (plastic notwood), and in good repair. Sanitizing canbe done at your own set-up or at a centralizedmarket set-up.Waste can be handled in the following approved ways:Liquid waste, including ice, must be dumped intothe normal sewer system – not in the street or onplants. Only water used to keep flowers fresh can bedumped on landscaping (with the market’s permission).Liquid waste can be picked up by a licensed wasteremoval company. Farms can take their waste (solidand liquid) back to their farms. All market solid wastemust be stored in water-tight containers (closed trashbags) and disposed of in acceptable garbage bins.Samples must be delivered to the customer in an acceptablemanner.Plastic gloves are required, but there is no substitutefor hand washing. Prepared samples must beprotected from droplet contamination, insects, dust,and a customer coming in contact with more thanone sample.Seven methods to distribute samples have beenapproved for use at certified farmers markets. Othermethods are possible. Use this as a guideline if youhave an item that does not exactly fit one of the followingmethods:• Capped squeeze bottle for items such as honey.Bottle is uncapped and product is squeezed ontoa disposable stick. Bottle is re-capped. Stick is discarded.• Modified shaker bottle for items such as nuts orgrapes. The opening of a squeeze bottle is enlargedto shake out a limited number of items per shakeinto the customer’s hand.• Bulk liquid container for items such as juice. Dispensedwith a down-facing, self-closing spout intoa disposable cup given to a customer by a farmer.Containers must be washed in an approved kitchen.• Small sample cup of items such as sprouts or jams.Disposable cups can be filled in an approved facilityor in a manner for individual distribution to acustomer.• Covered serving dish for products such as sproutmixes, jellies, and jams. Serving dish should havea hinged lid that opens on the grower’s side of thetable. Grower lifts lid, uses a disposable spoon toscoop out a sample portion. Spoon is given to thecustomer.• Sliced produce can be carried in washable containerswith lids, and dispensed by grower with toothpicks.• Sneeze guards can be used for products with anopen display (like a salad bar). Guards must beof sufficient size to intercept fluids and contaminantsfrom the public.9

SMALL FARM NEWS VOLUME III 2002news notesLow-income pregnant women and mothers eat more freshfruits and vegetables when they are allowed to use WIC couponsto shop at farmers’ markets. That was a conclusion of asurvey of Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women,Infants and Children (WIC) participants by University of Californiaresearchers. WIC coupons are used in addition to foodstamps to purchase special foods for pregnant or breast-feedingwomen enrolled in WIC. The survey was conducted toevaluate the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s WIC Farmers’Market Nutrition Program, which was established in 1992 toencourage the women and their children to consume a morehealthful diet. The survey showed that 85 percent of the Californiaparticipants ate more fresh fruits and vegetables as a resultof the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. The programalso spurred the first visit to a farmers’ market for 85 percent ofthe women.Farmers markets continue to be a vital sales outlet forfarmers nationwide. Results from the 2000 USDA Farmers MarketStudy indicate that 19,000 farmers reported selling theirproduce at farmers markets exclusively. Also, according to the2000 National Farmers Market Directory, there are more than2,800 farmers markets operating in the U.S. Of these markets,82 percent are self-sustaining, and 52 percent participate in WIC,food stamp, and local and/or state nutrition programs. In addition,25 percent of the nation’s farmers markets are involved ingleaning programs that distribute food to needy families.USDA is launching the Seniors Farmers Market NutritionPilot Program to provide fresh food to low-income seniorsfrom farmers markets, roadside stands, and community supportedagriculture. For more information, call the USDA’s FarmersMarket Hotline at 1 (800) 384-8704 or visit http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/facts.htm.Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) is a permanent changein the way food stamps and other social services will be deliveredin California. The 1996 federal welfare reform law mandatedthat states replace paper food stamp coupons with plasticElectronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards. Like debit or ATMcards, EBT cards are secured with a personal identification numberand can be used to make in-store purchases.San Bernardino and San Diego counties began distributingbenefits via EBT cards in 1997, and Yolo and Alameda countiesstarted in August 2002. By the end of 2004, all counties in Californiawill use EBT to distribute food stamps and, if they choose,cash benefits (CalWorks, General Assistance,Refugee Cash Assistance,and the Cash Assistance Program forImmigrants) as well. For the date ofEBT implementation in your county,check the state’s County ImplementationSchedule at http://www.ebtproject.ca.gov/County_implement_sched.htm.The transition to EBT cards has been a concern to farmer’smarket managers, vendors, and shoppers who use food stamps.To make market purchases compatible with the new EBT system,the state has offered two alternatives. First, the state willprovide certified farmer’s markets that receive more than $200in food stamps per month a Point of Sale (POS) device for EBTtransactions at no cost.Using the POS machine, market shoppers will deduct anamount from their EBT card and receive the equivalent in themarket’s own scrip, or currency, to make their purchases. At theend of the market, vendors will exchange this scrip for cash, asthey have with paper food coupons. Second, growers at designatedcertified farmer’s markets are encouraged by the state topurchase their own POS devices.Given that POS devices are expensive and that handling electronicpurchases at each farm stand would slow the pace of transactions,farmers and market managers have been more enthusiasticabout the first approach. Penny Leff, Berkeley Farmers’ Marketsmanager, reports that their markets will use a POS deviceand issue 50-cent “wooden nickels” as scrip for EBT transactions.While they wait for their POS device, they use phone-inauthorization to make EBT transactions.Early feedback on the transition to EBT in Berkeley has beenpositive overall, but customers report that the 50-cent nicklesare a handful and make transactions over a few dollars cumbersome.Leff is working toward authorization to produce $1 and$2 scrip as well. Typically, the Tuesday and Saturday BerkeleyMarkets accept a total of $500 to $1,000 in food stamps everymonth.For more information about EBT:California Electronic Benefit Transfer Programhttp://www.ebtproject.ca.govUSDA Food and Nutrition Servicehttp://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/10

VOLUME III 2002SMALL FARM NEWScalendarOCTOBER10IPM StrategiesWatsonville, CAHosted by UC Cooperative Extension, Santa Cruz County, thisworkshop covers innovations, pesticide resistance management, andmonitoring.Contact: Steve Tjosvold, UC Cooperative Extension, Santa CruzCounty, (831) 763-8040; e-mail: satjosvold@ucdavis.edu23-26On the Road to Sustainable AgricultureA National Conference from a Southern PerspectiveRaleigh-Durham, NCThis on the road conference features two days of tours coveringthemes such as urban sprawl; sustainable agriculture; organicresearch, marketing, and certification; direct marketing; productionsystems; and opportunities for limited-resource farmers.Contact: Gwen Roland, University of Georgia, Agricultural ExperimentStation, Griffin, GA 30223-1797, (770) 412-4786, e-mail:groland@peachnet.eduNOVEMBER7-9Conference on Ecolables and the Greening of the FoodMarketBoston, MASponsored by Tufts University, sessions cover ecolabel descriptions,research, issues, and controversies.Contact: Willie Lockeretz, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155,(617) 627-5264; e-mail: willie.lockeretz@tufts.edu14Floriculture and Nursery MarketingWatsonville, CAHosted by UC Cooperative Extension, Santa Cruz County, thisworkshop presents new opportunities in this industry for growers.Contact: Steve Tjosvold, UC Cooperative Extension, Santa CruzCounty, (831) 763-8040; e-mail: satjosvold@ucdavis.edu17-19California Small Farm ConferenceVentura, CACosponsored by the UC Small Farm Center, the conference featuresshort courses, workshops, farm tours, and a tasting reception.Topics presented include soil science, direct marketing, value-addedproduction, specialty animal enterprises, farm management,specialty crops, organic and low-input production, and agriculturalpolicy issues.Contact: California Farm Conference, P.O. Box 73614, Davis, CA95617, (530) 756-8518, ext. 16; e-mail:info@californiafarmconference.comDECEMBER3Agricultural and Nature TourismUC DavisThis one day workshop covers all aspects of setting up a newagritourism or nature tourism venture in California, and includesthe new state manual with step by step instructions.Contact: Birgit Hempel, Small Farm Center, University of California,One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616; (530) 752-8136, e-mail:sfcenter@ucdavis.edu12-15Almond Production: A Pomology Short CourseDavis, CAPresentations by UC faculty and farm advisors cover almondproduction and related fundamental principles.Contact: Karen Price, University Extension, UC Davis, One ShieldsAve., Davis, CA 95616, (530) 757-8899, e-mail:kprice@unexmail.ucdavis.eduAdd your event to our online calendar athttp://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/calendar11

SMALL FARM NEWS VOLUME III 2002CaliforniaFarmConferenceNovember 17-19, 2002 • Ventura, CaliforniaWorkshop TracksFarm managementSpecialty productsProduction and food systemsLinking farms to communitiesInnovative marketingAgricultural policy and specialty issuesOrganic, low-input and experimental crop productionShort CoursesAdding Value to Farm and Natural Resource ProductsNew Ideas for Direct Marketing of Farm ProduceDrip Irrigation Design and MaintenanceSpecialty Animal EnterprisesToursOn-farm soil conservation practicesSpecialty regional perennial cropsOjai Farmers MarketFarm Conference Short CourseAdding Value to Farm and Natural ResourceProducts: A Short Course on Getting Started orExpanding Your BusinessSunday, November 17, 2002This intensive short course provides useful information on theprocess of starting up or expanding your value-addedproduction, and includes information on:• product development• consumer and market research• liability• food safety• marketingPresenters: Farmers and other entrepreneurs involved in valueaddedproduction, and University of California professionals:Desmond Jolly, agricultural economist; Linda Harris, microbiologist;and Shermain Hardesty, agricultural economist.Sponsored by: UC Small Farm Center, UC Center for Cooperatives,and the UC Davis Department of Food Science andTechnology.To Register: Call California Small Farm Conference:(530) 756-8518 Ext. 16.For details, visithttp://www.californiafarmconference.comSmall Farm CenterUniversity of CaliforniaOne Shields AvenueDavis, CA 95616-8699Bulk RateU.S. POSTAGEPAIDDavis, CAPermit No. G-00268Official Business610WAddress Services RequestedThe University of California prohibits discrimination against or harassment of any person employed by or seeking employment with the University on the basis of race, color, national origin,religion, sex, physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, or status as a covered veteran(special disabled veteran, Vietnam-era veteran or any other veteran who served on active duty during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized).University policy is intended to be consistent with provisions of applicable state and federal laws. Inquiries regarding the University’s nondiscrimination policies may be directed to the AffirmativeAction Director, University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, 300 Lakeside Drive, 6th Floor, Oakland, CA. 94612-3550. (510) 987-0096.Printed on Recycled Paper12