Farmers Market Receives USDA Grant

Riverdale Park Farmers Market will be boosting its local advertising and marketing to local and county residents in both English and Spanish for next season, since the market recently received a $33,000 grant from the USDA.

Farmers Market Coordinator Jim Coleman announced at Monday's council meeting that the grant has been offered to town and will be received once he attends training hosted by the USDA.

"We'll get the money after the orientation is over for either October or November," Coleman said.

Although the farmers market committee had originally applied for $38,000, it received most of the requested amount. However, its request for more EBT or food stamp funding was denied.

"This would have helped with our food stamp acceptance and we would hire someone to help people pay with food stamps, debit and credit cards at the market," he said.

Currently, WIC has a table each week at the market, where participants can pick up stamps to help them pay for some of their market groceries.

Coleman said attendance has flat-lined at around 675 visitors weekly and with this grant money he's like to see a 20 to 25 percent increase in customers.

The USDA determined how the grant would be broken down:

• Bookkeeper - $3,600
• Training - $1,324
• LED Sign - $15,000
• Vertical Banners - $8,250
• Wooden market sign - $3,375
• Bi-lingual posters - $100
• Laptop computer - $1,500

Coleman said the vertical banners and LED sign could also come into use for the town as other methods to get information out around town.

However Councilman Chris Henry (Ward 4) was concerned about the break down of funds, especially in regards to the bi-lingual posters.

"I see that they allotted the least amount of money for this," Henry said.

Coleman said the banners and the scrolling messages on the LED sign could be in Spanish and English.

Henry also raised concerns about the cost of market products saying some residents have told him the prices are unreasonable.

Coleman said there are different ways to provide a cheaper choice for residents – one is finding a local conventional farmer to sell produce at the market.

Conventional farmers use pesticides more invasively, which allows them to get rid of pests and prevent mold quickly, while the market's current farmers have a tendency to spray only when they see something or the organic farmers don't use pesticides at all.  The more preventative measures allow for more products, which essentially drops the price.

Although the grant will aid in the advertising of the farmers market, the market will continue to receive funds allotted from the town's yearly budget of $20,253.

The farmers market was closed last week due to the weather, but will be open again Thursday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. off Queensbury Road.