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Farmers markets help rev up local economy

Purdue economics professor says everyone benefits when farmers produce and sell locally.

January 28, 2022

2 Min Read
A close up of Wea Creek Orchard's jars filled with pumpkin butter
SUPPORTING LOCAL: Pumpkin butter from Wea Creek Orchard sells at the Purdue Farmers Market. The Purdue Farmers Market enables students to buy local goods on campus. Photoa by Maranda Elswick

Many people love going to a farmers market for fresh produce. But farmers markets offer additional benefits, such as helping bridge the gap between farmers and their communities.

Maria Marshall, a professor of agricultural economics at Purdue University, does research on small businesses and sees the economic and social benefits that farmers markets bring to local communities.

“Bringing dollars in and having them circulate around the local economy is something that is good,” Marshall says.

“Agritourism and farmers markets bring in dollars that come from farther away than that local community,” she explains. She says diversification in the local economy generates money rather than just circulating money that’s already there. This leads to growth.

Farmers markets also offer social benefits for farmers.

“Being seen in your community as a business member and getting the word-of-mouth out about your products is a benefit to farmers,” Marshall says. Farmers markets and other events allow farmers to meet directly with the people buying their products.

Marshall points out that farmers market vendors have the potential to grow their business through other local businesses.

“Somebody who is selling at a farmers market has the opportunity to grow into other markets,” she says. This can increase the number of customers, grow revenue and strengthen relationships between farmers and businesses.

Opportunities to educate

Farmers markets also help educate people about their food and how it’s grown.

“People ask questions, and they want to know what vendors are growing,” says KoKo Heath, chair of the Madison Farmers Market Committee in Madison, Ind. “People want to know that their food is from here, and they want to know how it is being grown.

“People love seeing the pictures of the farms and meeting the farmers who are growing their food.”

An enthusiastic young woman holding muffins

FINDING TREATS: Shea Elswick holds muffins from the Madison Farmers Market in Madison, Ind. The market offers local products ranging from produce to handcrafted goods. (Shea is the author’s sister.)

Heath says these conversations are crucial because many people are unaware of how their food is produced. Farmers markets help teach people about a lifestyle they may know nothing about.

“The farmers market is a place to tie together people from the country and the city and show these people why farmers are so important,” Heath says.

“Vendors are super passionate about their farms and their products and being a member of the farmers market,” adds Gina Johnson, Madison Farmers Market manager. “They are super excited to talk to people about their products and their processes with anyone who will listen. We also have a lot of customers who want to learn about agriculture.”

Elswick is a senior in agricultural communication at Purdue University.

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