Farmers Market Scams

[Jenise]

My friend Nadine (who lurks here) sent me this expose from the CBC about so-called farmers reselling industrially grown/imported produce as their own farm-grown products. I love how they nailed the guy from Kent Farms.

The narrator says that reselling is illegal in California. Perhaps the laws have changed since I lived there, but I remember in Huntington Beach where I once lived that it was obvious that some sellers weren't actual farmers--their produce was too uniform in size and condition. Identical, essentially, to supermarket produce. In Huntington Beach, where there were no rural empty spaces, we had surfers, not farmers. What was passing for local came from, typically, about 100 miles away--Oxnard to the north or San Deigo environs to the south. The product of true local, like I see here in Bellingham every Saturday, is differently sized and occasionally misshapen, and from week to week there are logical, seasonal changes to what's on offer. Anyway, here's the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYwB63YslbA&t=352s

Our local Farmers Market behind City Hall has stringent restrictions, and all are open to the public. One can go on certain days to their fields by appointment and view the growing area. I like that, and it is always a fun thing to do. I have not been this year, the first time in 46 years that I have missed going every Saturday. I am getting produce from neighbors that keeps me happy, especially the tomatoes.

Living as I do in the midst of farm country, our local farmers market attracts a lot of folks from the immediate vicinity. However, since our growing season is somewhat short compared to what you get on the West Coast, some of the farmers will sell produce grown out of state (but never out of country AFAICT) but they are always up front about it, labeling it as e.g. Georgia peaches or Tennessee morels. I tend not to buy those out-of-state goods, but I don't mind them as long as they're clearly labeled as such.

My markets are like Mark's: frequently out of state, though often nearby (e.g., Jersey tomatoes).

Produce and unprocessed meat in my 2 markets is all from Hudson Valley, or the Black Dirt region of NY/NJ. No citrus here! In most cases it's an actual farmer doing the sales
But there are some ready to eat products produced in NYC/Hudson Valley area that obviously use products grown elsewhere (lentils, olive oil, etc )
Fish guy is from Long Island, but also carries some purchased fish , always pretty clear about what is local.

My markets are like Mark's: frequently out of state, though often nearby (e.g., Jersey tomatoes).

Yes, but presumably those products from NJ are brought by the farmers themselves! Very common in Nyc, as NJ is closer than most of NY state.

One of the Union Square farmers had a massive fire last year that wiped out their warehouse stock in the winter, so they were permitted to buy and re-sell some things they hadn't grown, as long as they were clearly marked as such. But the quality was noticeably different and I didn't buy. (Although did support them by buying their own good products that were available)

You can stand in my main market and look at NJ right across the river, so out of state not a concern for me.
But there used to be a one vendor "farmers Market" here (they pulled a big trailer with a tractor from a small farm about 3 miles away) that sold avocados, bananas, and citrus.

You can stand in my main market and look at NJ right across the river, so out of state not a concern for me.
But there used to be a one vendor "farmers Market" here (they pulled a big trailer with a tractor from a small farm about 3 miles away) that sold avocados, bananas, and citrus.

Those New Jersey mangosteen are really the bomb, I hear

[Robin Garr]

Most of our farmers markets are strictly regulated for local and some to certified organic. It might be possible to cheat, but word travels fast.

Most of our farmers markets are strictly regulated for local and some to certified organic. It might be possible to cheat, but word travels fast.

The local aspect is pretty strictly regulated in our markets, but I don't think they require certified organic. Many of the vendors advertise that, but not all of them.