Over at Grist, Bonnie Azab Powell reports that farmers markets are growing like weeds all over the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, there are 6,132 farmers markets in the United States, a 16% increase from last year and a 214% increase from 2000. California leads the charge with 580 markets, followed by New York, Illinois, and Michigan. However, only one sixth of the markets are open year round, and farmers market and farm stand sales still only account for 0.4% of the nations food economy. So the trend is going in the right direction, but local food systems still have a long way to go.
– Mitchell Flexo