The Wall Street Journal has a story today that’s sure to get local food lovers angry: Safeway and Albertsons stores in Seattle this year caught the ire of Seattle farmers when they designated outdoor fruit and veggie displays “farmers markets” (Safeway later changed the name of its to “outdoor market.”
As the WSJ points out, it brings to question how should farmers market me defined?Many believe that an essential part of the definition involves farmers selling directly to consumers, though some suggest even stricter guidelines, requiring the market to have produce as the only or majority of products available at the market. Others might also add that the produce comes only from local sources, and the definition of “local” varies from grown in the town or county it’s sold to region or state.
Most – if not all – of Kitsap’s markets have such rules. Bainbridge Island’s, for example, requires all produce to be grown on the Island or in North Kitsap. Poulsbo’s, Silverdale’s, Bremerton’s and Port Orchard’s market say vendors’ goods must be from Washington State. Poulsbo and Port Orchard make an exception for where seafood can come from, though the vendors themselves must be from Washington. All the markets post their vendor guidelines on their website.
So how do you consumers and farmers out there think the term “farmers market” should be defined?
