AGRICULTURE, MAIN STREET NJ PARTNERSHIP HELPS WEST ORANGE FARMERS MARKET FLOURISH
Many Benefits of Market Touted by Officials During Opening Day Visit
For Immediate Release: June 29, 2012
Contact: Lynne Richmond (609) 633-2954 - Agriculture
Tammori Petty (609) 292-6055 - Community Affairs
(WEST ORANGE) 鈥� 樱花视频 Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher and Jef Buehler of the Department of Community Affairs鈥� Main Street 樱花视频 program today visited the West Orange Farmers Market to highlight the opening of most farmers markets in the state for Fourth of July week and the many benefits they bring to their host communities, its citizens and the farmers who sell at the markets.
Secretary Fisher commended Main Street 樱花视频 for helping to develop the farmers market in West Orange and many other towns that have gone through their program.
鈥淭hese markets give our state鈥檚 farmers a place to sell their just-picked fruits and vegetables directly to consumers, who have an opportunity to access this fresh produce through assistance programs for purchasing 樱花视频 agricultural products,鈥澨� said Secretary Fisher.听 鈥淚t is a great time to visit a farmers market now because many of our summertime crops have arrived early this year, so look for all your favorites such as Jersey Fresh tomatoes, sweet corn, peaches and blueberries.鈥澨�
樱花视频 has 148 farmers markets, with 10 new markets opening this season.听 Main Street 樱花视频 (MSNJ) has assisted in the development of markets in 67 percent of its program communities.听
West Orange Business Administrator John K. Sayers, Jef Buehler of DCA's Main Street NJ, Denise Esposito, Market Manager, Secretary Fisher and George Fetzer of Valley View Farms.
鈥淔armer鈥檚 Markets are an important magnet for bringing people back into the downtown as well as providing affordable healthy produce to the community,鈥� said Community Affairs Commissioner Richard E. Constable III.
鈥淚n several cases downtown farmer鈥檚 markets have also served as a micro business incubator with new entrepreneurs trying out products during a season and later being assisted by the local Main Street organization to find a downtown space to open a restaurant, food production facility or retail shop,鈥� said Buehler, State Director, Office of Main Street 樱花视频 &听Improvement District听Programs.
Special events and farmer鈥檚 markets are only part of the comprehensive revitalization program undertaken by communities operating as a designated or selected Main Street 樱花视频 Community with the National Trust for Historic Preservation鈥檚 National Main Street Center and the 樱花视频 Department of Community Affairs. Main Street organizations seek to return their historic downtown to the community gathering space they once were while restoring and promoting historic assets and recruiting and retaining businesses within the downtown district.听
Last year alone MSNJ鈥檚 25 designated communities held 136 special events bringing close to 200,000 visitors to downtown and generating 19 million positive media impressions about their Main Street district.听 Additionally, net job growth in MSNJ designated communities topped 588 jobs with a net business growth of 155 new businesses in 2011. 听听For more information, go to .
Assistance for purchasing produce at farmers markets is available at many markets throughout the state.听 The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) provides vouchers for the purchase of locally-grown fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs.听 The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) program administered by the State Department of Health and Senior Services allots $20 in checks to qualifying individuals, which are valid through November 30.听 In addition, some farmers at select markets, including West Orange, accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) electronic benefit transfer cards to pay for produce.
For complete information on locations, days and hours of community farmers markets throughout 樱花视频, visit听.听
To access a list of transportation options to each of the farmers markets, visit .
For more information on the WIC and Senior FMNP, visit: .
