RD37 - Annual Report on the Virginia Farmers Market System 2015 Report and 2016 Plan - January 2016


Executive Summary:
This report complies with § 3.2-3501 B. of the Code of Virginia, which requires the Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) to submit a report by February 1st of each year to the chairmen of the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake, and Natural Resources, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources, the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance. The report summarizes the market operators’ reports and plans for the farmers markets operating pursuant to a contract between the Commissioner and the market operators during the preceding calendar year.

The Virginia Farmers Market System includes three shipping point farmers markets, each operating under a contract between the Commonwealth of Virginia and a private sector or county government organization:(*1)

• The Eastern Shore of Virginia Farmers Market (ESVFM), Melfa, Virginia, is operated by the Eastern Shore Marketing Cooperative, Inc.

• The Northern Neck of Virginia Farmers Market (NNVFM), Oak Grove, Virginia, is operated by the Northern Neck Vegetable Growers Association.(*2)

• The Southeast Virginia Farmers Market (SEVFM), Courtland, Virginia, is operated by Farmers Market, L.L.C.

In 2015, the Virginia Farmers Market System recorded $56.1 million in sales, a 26 percent increase over the $44.6 million in 2014, and represented an all-time high mark for sales. This record sale value was achieved even though the SWVFM was sold to Carroll County and thus not included as part of this report. The numerical breakdown is as follows:

• The three markets served 7,875 acres of production in 2015.

• The system served 34 brokers and 660 major retail stores and institutional buyers.

• One hundred eighty two (182) producers marketed product or used market services at the three markets (combined). The established goal was 177 producers for 2015.

• Gross value of products marketed was $56.1 million for the three markets, representing 4.09 million product units as compared to $44.6 million for four markets in 2014, representing 3.6 million product units.
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(*1) A fourth shipping point farmers market in the State System, the Southwest Virginia Farmers Market (SWVFM), Hillsville, Virginia was sold to the County of Carroll in July 2015. The SWVFM was not in the State System as of December 1, 2015, therefore it is not included in the 2015 State Farmers Market Report.
(*2) The Northern Neck of Virginia Farmers Market (NNVFM) was sold to Parker Farms, Inc in December 2015. It was in the State Farmers Market System as of December 1, 2015 and as such is included in the 2015 State Farmers Market Report.