America’s Favorite Farmers Markets Contest Starts Today

Fresh food enthusiasts love farmers markets as evidenced by the popularity of the East Atlanta, East Lake, Piney Grove and Grant Park markets in our East Atlanta Patch neighborhoods.

The American Farmland Trust wants to know just how much. The organization aims to highlight the importance of farms and what their preservation means strategically to the United States.

So from now through midnight, Sept. 3, the trust is asking shoppers to vote for their favorite farmers markets at Vote For My Farmers Market website.

The contest underscores the importance such markets have in preserving and helping family farmers in business.

Now in its fourth year, the 2012 America’s Favorite Farmers Markets contest includes all 7,175 markets listed in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Farmers Market Directory.

A $1,000 Farmers Market Inspiration Award, sponsored by the Farmers Market Coalition, will be presented to a farmer showing the greatest dedication to his or her market.

Contest rules allow people to vote for as many participating farmers markets as they want, but can only vote for each market once. After the voting, one small-, medium-, mid- and large-sized market will each be named “America’s Favorite Farmers Market” for 2012.