Fresh Radishes (photo by Xenia Antunes, courtesy of morgueFile.com)

With a resounding 2,400-vote margin over its nearest competitor, the Rochester Public Market won the 2010 America’s Favorite Farmers Market™ contest, with over 5,200 votes in the large market category. For over a century the Market has been a link between the city, its countryside, and the region's farmers; and has been a source of diversity, character, community, and substantial contributions to the region's economy, ecology, and equity.

The America’s Favorite Farmers Markets contest is a project of the American Farmland Trust. The contest is designed to raise national awareness about the importance of supporting fresh food from local farms and farmers. Market shoppers vote to support their favorite farmers market starting June 1st until midnight on August 31st, 2010. People can vote for as many participating farmers markets as they choose, but can only vote for each market once.

The Top Ten in the in the Large Market Category:

1. City of Rochester Public Market: Rochester, NY
2. Davis Farmers Market: Davis, CA
3. Fulton Street Farmers Market: Grand Rapids, MI
4. Ballard Farmers Market: Seattle, WA
5. Mountain View Farmers Market: Mountain View, CA
6. Flint Farmers Market: Flint, MI
7. Ithaca Farmers Market: Ithaca, NY
8. Chattanooga Market: Chattanooga, TN
9. Las Cruces Farmers & Crafts Market: Las Cruces, NM
10. Iowa City Farmer's Market: Iowa City, IA

American Farmland Trust representatives will visit the Rochester Public Market to present the award on Thursday, October 7th. Rochester’s Mayor, Robert Duffy, will speak at the awards ceremony on the importance of agriculture and farmers markets to the state’s economy and public health.

Other farmers markets that placed in New York’s top five include the Saratoga Farmers Market, the Ithaca Farmers Market, the Westside Farmers Market, and the Troy Waterfront Farmers Market.

American Farmland Trust is the nation’s leading conservation organization dedicated to saving America’s farm and ranch land, promoting environmentally sound farming practices and supporting a sustainable future for farms. Since its founding in 1980 by a group of farmers and citizens concerned about the rapid loss of farmland to development, American Farmland Trust has helped save millions of acres of farmland from development and led the way for the adoption of conservation practices on millions more.

To learn more about the 2010 America’s Favorite Farmers Market contest, go to: American Farmland Trust

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