6,200 Farmers Markets and Counting: Find your local farmers market, even design an app.

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Another promising initiative from the Obama administration:

USDA blog - We Built the Dataset and Map, Now You Can Design a Farmers Market App!

November 16, 2010 at 11:03 AM

In 2010, the USDA National Farmers Market Directory counted over 6,200 operational farmers markets in the country. That’s more than a 16 percent growth in farmers markets from 2009. In every state and season, shoppers flock to nearby farmers markets in search of healthy, fresh foods. Farmers markets can offer it all: from seasonal, fresh produce to local meats, dairy products to locally baked bread and fragrant cut flowers.

Do you know where your farmers market is?

Today we’re pleased to announce a new mapping feature on the USDA National Farmers Market Directory (http://apps.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/). This feature allows you to pull up state-by-state maps of farmers markets listed in the USDA National Farmers Market Directory and zoom in to see detailed location. Information about farmers markets is easily accessed via convenient hotlinks right from the map. The Directory is also searchable by state, county, zip code and participation in federal nutrition assistance programs, such as the Women, Infants and Children program or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Results from the USDA National Farmers Market Directory are based on voluntary reporting from farmers market managers.

But wait, that’s not all!

As part of the our dedication to open government, transparency and providing high-value data to citizens, we are proud to offer a raw data set from the USDA National Farmers Market Directory on Data.gov.(http://www.data.gov/). This data set is perfect for app designers and researchers to develop even more sophisticated or fine-tuned uses of the USDA Farmers Market Directory. The data set, which includes farmers market names and physical street locations, is available as a downloadable Excel file (http://www.data.gov/tools/4034).

CNN has already put this data to good use as part of a series called Eatocracy: Mind, Body and Wallet (http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2010/09/23/cnn-and-foursquare-join-forces-to-promote-healthy-eating/), which included a partnership with the social networking site Foursquare to create a healthy eating badge for frequent farmers market shoppers. What will you build?

Find more information on the USDA National Farmers Market Directory here: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=2010/11/0609.xml

read: http://blogs.usda.gov/2010/11/16/we-built-the-dataset-and-map-now-you-can-design-a-farmers-market-app/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[csziggy]

1. That is great! Now to encourage farmers' markets in inner city areas

To extend access to fresh food.

I am lucky locally - there are farmers markets several days a week as well as a local food coop that is open to everyone. Many of the same farmers that sell at the markets also sell to the coop so it extends their accessibility. But I know many people have no access to fresh or locally grown food.

[RockaFowler]

2. Just wonderful

Thanks for sharing this

We love the Ft Pierce Farmer's Market. It's a delightful day of shopping

[tilsammans]

3. Thanks! n/t

:yourock: