What happens to food left over at farmers markets?
Most vendors have a good sense of how much will sell on any given market day, and prepare for it accordingly. However, if there are leftovers at the end of market, vendors are ready to recycle unsold produce into value-added products. For instance, excess tomatoes become tomato sauce and apples become apple cider. Unsaleable produce can be composted to return nutrients back to the farmers’ fields. In addition, many markets also have donation arrangements with local food banks, soup kitchens, and other social service agencies. In 2005, 24 percent of markets nationwide reported some kind of gleaning program, averaging a value of $825 in products each month. In 2007, farmers markets in Seattle donated over 40,000 pounds to the area’s local food banks, and in 2008, food banks near Hollywood, California received over 15,000 pounds from farmers at the Hollywood Farmers Market. These are just a few examples of the ways farmers give back to the communities that host their markets.
