News Story

Farmers market serves more than 9,500 customers

Posted 08/18/2009

More than 9,500 people attended the 2009 Public Health Farmers' Market, co-sponsored by the College of Public Health, Columbus Public Health Department and the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

The market took place over three days, July 30, Aug. 6 and Aug. 13 on the downtown grounds of Columbus Publicl Health.

Local farmers brought fresh fruits and vegetables, providing nutritious food options to Columbus' downtown and East Side residents, areas known for having limited access to grocery stores.

farmers market
Farmers Market 2009

"This farmers market has been a tremendous success for this community," Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman said at the opening ceremony. "There are many areas in this city, and many other cities around the country, where the only fruits and vegetables you get are the tomatoes and pickles on a hamburger at a fast-food joint."

Vendors accepted food stamps and WIC vouchers for the produce. The WIC program is intended for low-income, pregnant women; breastfeeding women; and infants and children under the age of 5. WIC vouchers issued represent $67,500 in purchases of fresh fruits and vegetables. The 2009 WIC voucher total is a program record for the second straight year.

The number of customers using the Ohio Direction Card, a debit card issued to food stamp recipients allowing electronic access to their benefits, more than doubled from last year and resulted in $4,887 spent on market produce, a 207 percent increase over last year.

"What you don't see for sale are things like chips and cigarettes and things that we know will hurt people's health," said Stanley Lemeshow, dean of the College of Public Health. "We get healthy by eating the right foods and exercising."

The market was funded in part by a grant from Women & Philanthropy at The Ohio State University Foundation.

Please check out the photos from this year's farmers' market: Farmers Market Gallery

Dean Lemeshow's address at the Farmers Market.

 

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The Ohio State University's College Public Health is an integral part of the most comprehensive health sciences campus in the nation. The college was created in February 2007 by the University Board of Trustees. First established in 1995 as part of the College of Medicine, we are the first and only accredited school of public health in the state of Ohio. Specializations within the college include biostatistics, epidemiology, health behavior and health promotion, environmental health sciences, health services management and policy, veterinary public health and clinical investigations. The college is currently ranked 21st in public health graduate schools by US News & World Report. Its Master of Health Administration program is ranked 12th.