According to New Survey, Plant-Based Diets Are More Cost-Effective Than Ever!
There are many reasons to do your produce shopping at a farmers market. Some of them include supporting local farmers, buying freshly picked fruits and vegetables that are in season, being able to discover new fruits or vegetables, and learning new recipes!
It seems that nation-wide people are opting to shop at their local farmers markets more and more often. The results of a survey by the USDA taken last year have recently been announced, and the survey has concluded that farmers markets are “thriving and expanding.”
The survey, conducted in 2014, interviewed farmers market managers who had been listen in the USDA’s National Farmers Market Directory, and were surveyed on the activities of the previous season. The survey included almost 1,400 farmers market managers from around the United States, and the results were promising and stated that farmers markets are steadily growing.
Anne L. Alonzo, the U.S. Deparment of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Administrator, stated:
“There are over 8,400 farmers markets in the USDA’s National Farmers Market Directory, and this survey shows that they are thriving and expanding as they provide healthy, local fresh fruit and vegetables to America’s families.”
In addition to this main discovery of the survey, a few other trends were noted: customer demand for farmers markets has significantly increased, farmers markets are seen as a source for nutritional education for customers, and farmers markets actually strengthen community engagement.
Also, according to the USDA’s Economic Research Service, fresh fruits and vegetables are the most cost-effective choices in 2015, while beef, veal, and eggs will experience a higher inflation in prices. This news is a welcome pairing to farmers markets becoming more popular and accessible!
So whether you are already on a plant-based diet or simply thinking about it, incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your daily diet has never been cheaper or easier!
Photo Credit: https://localwiki.org/fremont/Fremont_Farmers’_Markets
