Farmers' Markets: Success, Failure, and Management Ecology By Gar ...

Chapter 1

ADM, A Tomato Named Local Lucy, and Small Farms: The Ecology and Reemergence of Farmers’ Markets

Two Food Streams

Farmers’ markets are at the center of a convergence of forces. On the one hand, there is an increasing commoditization, consolidation, and globalization of agriculture, with its negative consequences for farmers, consumers, and communities. On the other hand, there is an emergence of interest in food as a component of communities and associated local economies. This latter force is driven by a variety of issues including interests in and concerns about health and food, the re-development of cuisine based on locality, interests in food as a focal point for building community, strong concerns about the environmental consequences of industrial agriculture, and support for small farmers.