Ohio State helps keep Ohio’s farmers markets — and communities — thriving

COLUMBUS, Ohio - On a bustling corner in downtown Columbus, amid the hum of traffic and live music, farmers unload crates of sweet corn, tomatoes and melons at Pearl Market. The scent of fresh-baked bread drifts through the air. Shoppers chat with vendors, sample jam and pick out herbs.

Scenes like this one - so familiar, yet so vital - are at the heart of what The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) hopes to spotlight as it helps launch National Farmers Market Week in Ohio.

Set for Aug. 3-9, the weeklong celebration recognizes the more than 300 farmers markets operating across the state. CFAES will help kick things off with a special event at Pearl Market on July 31.

The event underscores a growing reality: Farmers markets are doing more than bringing fresh produce to town squares; they are keeping farms afloat, fueling rural economies and helping Ohioans reconnect with their food.

"Farmers markets are a triple win - a win for the producer, the customer and the community," said Christie Welch, program specialist in direct agricultural marketing with Ohio State University Extension, CFAES' outreach arm.

Welch would know.

In addition to her work at CFAES, she and her husband operated a small fruit farm in Ross County and were vendors at the Chillicothe Farmers Market for years. Her perspective - both personal and professional - offers a window into how farmers markets have become a lifeline for many Ohio growers.

"Ohio is losing farms and farmland," Welch said, pointing to a 6.4% decline in farmland over the past two decades. "For small and beginning farmers, having access to a market channel that allows them to sell directly to consumers at retail prices is critical to staying in business."

Through OSU Extension's Direct Food and Agricultural Marketing Team, Welch and her colleagues provide training that helps farmers price their products profitably, understand their cost of production and connect with the right customers. These skills, Welch said, build farm resilience - and by extension, strengthen the farmers markets they serve.

"We're focused on making both farmers and markets more sustainable," she said. "When a farmer is profitable, they're more likely to stay engaged. And a strong market attracts more customers, creating a virtuous cycle that benefits the entire community."

The impact stretches beyond economics.

Many farmers markets are now hubs for food access programs that serve low-income families and seniors. Today, 119 farmers markets in Ohio accept SNAP benefits, up from nine in 2008. Through efforts led by OSU Extension and the Ohio Farmers Market Network, many also participate in programs like Produce Perks, the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

That collaboration goes back more than a decade.

In fact, The Ohio State University South Centers, part of CFAES, helped launch the Ohio Farmers Market Network in 2008. While the network now operates independently, CFAES continues to partner with it to support farmers markets.

"We recognize the challenges of shopping at a farmers market - limited hours, a smaller selection - but farmers markets are the only way to ensure that every dollar you spend goes right back into Ohio," said Jaime Hadji of the Ohio Farmers Market Network. "For us, 'buying local' isn't just a slogan."

"It's a commitment to ensuring that Ohio has generations of farmers and food makers, and that our local food system stays strong and resilient through all the changes we can't control."

The July 31 kickoff event at Pearl Market, located at North Pearl and East Gay streets in Columbus, will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will highlight these efforts - celebrating both the farmers who grow Ohio's food and the communities who support them. Market leaders will also promote the "$40 for Farmers Challenge," a statewide initiative launched by the Ohio Farmers Market Network to encourage Ohioans to spend $40 at their local farmers market during the week.

It's a small investment, but one that can yield big returns - for farmers, for local economies and for the future of Ohio agriculture.

"As we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was our local food producers who were able to step up and meet the needs of their communities," Welch said. "Having a strong network of local farms and markets isn't just good for business. It's essential for food security."

That's a message CFAES is working to amplify, not just during National Farmers Market Week, but all year long - through research, Extension programs and community partnerships that support Ohio agriculture at every level.

"Farmers markets bring people together," Welch said. "They're places of learning, connection and resilience. And they're one of the best tools we have to keep Ohio growing."