08 Jan Sat 2011
Most Green/Farmer markets are not who they claim they are .Where are the locally grown organic produce coming from?
I want to give you some samples of the Farmer Markets and Green Markets that I visit.
There is a Farmer Market that has shirts worn by their employees reading FARMERS MARKET that is by day a FLEA MARKET and by night a DRIVE IN MOVIE.
There is a FARMER MARKET plaza .No farmers on sight, just a supermarket.
There are Green markets stretched out on the ocean fronts caterring to the tourists and the rich who live at ocean front condos and mansions .No local farmers to be found at the booths.Just grocery store booths selling produce from Mexico and California.
Most say they have locally grown organic fresh produce fresh and just harvested , as one of the the signs say,but there are no farmers and no such papers and certifications to back it up.
Actually there are no farms left around here after the developers tore down the fertile soil and built gated communities that bear the names of the previous standing groves instead.
Most people go to the Green/Farmer markets and buy produce that is sold buy grocery stores that buy the produce whole sale and most of it comes from out of state/country.
S510 has been signed into LAW by the president last tuesday , this will impact the situation even worse as far as Urban small farmers are concerned.
They survive on produce they grow and sell.Where?
Making it difficult for them by introducing more permits/licences/inspection etc will not help bring in more locally grown organic produce to the markets especially:Green/farmer markets.
I beleive that we need to support small local farmers and not discourage them.Where are the laws that do so?Where are the real farmers?Read dfown below as the Wall Street Journal tackle the subject:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703404004575198270918567074.html
Next time you visit a farmer market or green market ask for supporting documents as for who is the farmer and where is the farm that the produce came from?
The NBC* investigation below as reported by the Huffington post should reach to the eyes and ears of the public that is most of the time is fed misinformations as Food safety and sources are concerned.It stands tall and applauded to tell a truth/fact that has been suppressed by the press in general.Check it out:
www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/30/farmers-market-scam-are-y_n_744954.html ยท
The main stream media speaks for conventional Agri-Business who use pesticides and chemicals .Who speaks for small urban farmers?
Big-Agri Business collect money when the harvest gets damaged by cold fronts or storms etc.. under the emergency laws.Do they collect from insurance companies as well ?
Produce prices have rocketed recently after the last freeze.Do anyone subsidize for the consumer prices?
Business as usual caters for profits.Is the time ripe to cater for truths and real Farmer markets and Green Markets ?.
Food safety is important to all , why not also pass a bill for Farmers rights and Farmers Markets that really mean who they are:FARMERS not MERCHANTS!