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Farmers Market at the Capitol Held on Buy Local, Select Pure Michigan Day

September 15, 2011: The Michigan House of Representatives passed House Resolution No. 128, introduced by Representative Kevin Daley – 82nd District, on September 14 declaring September 15, 2011 Buy Local, Select Pure Michigan Day to encourage all citizens to buy fresh local food and support Michigan farmers.

“This proclamation came just before today’s Farmers Market at the Capitol, which gave shoppers a great opportunity to do just that, buying Michigan-grown and processed goods right from farmers and food business owners,” said Elaine Brown, Michigan Food & Farming Systems (MIFFS) executive director.

More than 60 vendors from all over the state, from South Haven to Bad Axe to Sault Ste. Marie, gathered on the east lawn of the Capitol in Lansing from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to sell the bounty of Michigan agriculture’s harvest. Michigan is the second most diverse state in the nation in agricultural commodities with more than 200 to offer, so shoppers sampled and took home a huge variety of goodies in their bags and baskets, including seasonal fruits and vegetables, cut flowers and potted plants, spices and herbs, honey, maple syrup, baked goods, meat and fish, cheese, nuts, soap and much more.

This market also accepted Bridge Cards, Double Up Food Bucks, WIC Project FRESH and Market FRESH to ensure that all shoppers had access to fresh, local food. Of Michigan’s more than 250 farmers markets, 82 are accepting Bridge Cards, increasing local food access in rural and urban areas.
This is the sixth year that a farmers market has been held on the Capitol lawn.

This market was hosted by MIFFS and the Michigan Farmers Market Association (MIFMA), in partnership with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Sponsors for the event were Auto-Owners Insurance, the Food Bank Council of Michigan, the C.S. Mott Chair of Sustainable Agriculture at Michigan State University (MSU), GreenStone Farm Credit Services, the MSU Product Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources and Lansing Community College.

To find a full list of farmers markets in Michigan, visit the MIFMA Web site at www.mifma.org and click “Find a Farmers Market”. To learn more about MIFFS, visit www.miffs.org.

For more information on the “Farmers Markets at the Capitol”, contact Maggie Smith, market coordinator, at 517-432-3381 or smith833@msu.edu.

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Founded in 1998, MIFFS is a statewide membership organization (501c3) whose mission is to help small and medium-sized farms operate profitably, produce healthy food for all people and protect the environment for future generations.  MIFFS has been effective at establishing successful partnerships among producers, markets and institutions that have created more profitable, environmentally friendly food systems in Michigan.           

The organization’s vision is based on the premise that agricultural productivity, environmental stewardship and profitability reinforce each other for the benefit of Michigan’s rural and urban communities.  To learn more, please visit www.miffs.org or call (517) 432-0712.