David Karp, who provides indepth coverage of farmers markets for the Los Angeles Times, recently profiled an unsung hero, the manager of one of the most successful new markets in Los Angeles, Diana Rodgers, who goes the extra mile, literally and figuratively, to assure that vendors at her market actually grew what they are selling. In five years, the market in the Mar Vista neighborhood, has grown from 15 to 70 vendors and has become a big hit with residents of the community. A vigilant manager like Rodgers is the key to such a market's success, assuring that the produce is fresh and truly local. But it's not an easy job, as Karp explains:
“Market integrity, always a concern for Rodgers, has become a priority since media reports last fall about vendors who sold produce they'd bought from the wholesale market rather than what they'd grown themselves. She evaluates farmers who apply to sell at her market by checking that they haven't been cited for peddling by agricultural authorities, by asking which other markets they sell at, by vetting them with other managers whose opinions she respects and by visiting the farms.
“Verifying integrity can be tricky. Brief farm visits like the ones she recently did are enough to catch blatant cheaters, Rodgers says, but won't nail those who grow a plausible amount for show and then buy the rest. The new mantra for integrity-conscious managers is "do the math": check records of farmers market sales against estimates of production on the farmer's certificate, issued by county agricultural inspectors.
“But the variables, such as crops, growing areas, seasons and sales to wholesale outlets are so complex that it's difficult for even a determined manager to catch cheaters, who have grown increasingly creative in exploiting the loopholes in market rules, Rodgers said.”
What's needed, in addition to tough managers, is more funding for state inspections, according to Rodgers, who favors a proposal in California for a modest increase in the fee that vendors at certified markets must pay, which would be used for market enforcement. Real farmers, in addition to consumers, would benefit greatly, but alas, according to Karp, the proposal apparently isn't likely to make it through the state legislature.
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