Dr. Marco Palma, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economist in College Station, said farmers markets continue to gain popularity among consumers for a variety of reasons.
Palma said research shows people want to live healthier lifestyles and are making conscious decisions about the food they consume.
On a national level, Palma said the number of farmers markets has increased to more than 8,000 in 2015 compared to 340 in 1970. The Texas Department of Agriculture has 130-150 registered markets on file and Palma said it is safe to assume there are other pop-up markets around the state.
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