USDA updating National Farmers Market Directory

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service has begun to update the USDA National Farmers Market Directory. The directory is the official count of the nation’s farmers markets. For the first time the directory will also track farmers markets with multiple locations and operating days.
All of the information in the directory relies on input from farmers market managers in the field. USDA urges all market managers to update their listings in time for the summer farmers market season. Farmers market managers can update their market listings at www.usdadirectoryupdate.com.
The directory will be periodically updated over the summer as farmers market managers continue to submit their listings to USDA’s database. Farmers market managers who are able to update their listing by May 1 will be able to find their markets on the directory by mid-July. The complete directory will be released in time for National Farmers Market Week, Aug. 7-13.
Since 1994, USDA has counted the number of operational U.S. farmers markets. During that time the number of farmers markets listed in the directory has increased from 1,755 to 6,132. The directory captures information about where and when farmers markets operate, if they participate in federal nutrition benefit programs, and detailed information about their seasonality and location.