Wendy Wasserman (202) 690-3822 Wendy.wasserman@ams.usda.gov
WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2010 – The 2010 USDA National Farmers Market Directory will be part of a featured segment on a CNN week-long series focusing on healthy eating. The series will air on Sunday, Sept. 26, on selected CNN programs and run for a week.
The series, “Eatocracy: Mind, Body and Wallet,” will include a segment using a map of the more than 6,100 farmers markets currently listed in the USDA Directory, and develop incentives for visiting farmers markets via the geo-locating mobile application Foursquare. A similar segment featuring the 2010 USDA National Farmers Market Directory will also be featured on CNN’s food blog, eatocracy.cnn.com.
“The USDA National Farmers Market Directory allows consumers to find the freshest and tastiest fruits, vegetables and other products available in communities around the country,” said Rayne Pegg, Administrator of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service. “Farmers markets are a key element in building a healthier agricultural economy, a healthier food system and healthier Americans.”
The 2010 USDA National Farmers Market Directory, which can be found at http://farmersmarkets.usda.gov, lists more than 6,100 farmers markets operating in the country, up 16 percent from 2009. Farmers markets listed in the directory may be searched by market name, state, county, zip code and participation in one of several federal nutrition assistance programs.
Information contained in the USDA National Farmers Market Directory is based on voluntary reporting from farmers market managers. USDA has been tallying U.S. farmers markets since 1994. Farmers markets wanting to update their listing in the directory can do so at http://www.usdadirectoryupdate.com/.
Follow us on Twitter to receive the latest press releases, stories and important updates about the Agricultural Marketing Service at: http://twitter.com/USDA_AMS_NEWS.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800)795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).