New York City Farmers Markets Snubbed In Contest

New York farmers markets are absent so far from the top 20 voted farmers markets in America's Favorite Farmers Markets contest run by The American Farmland Trust, according to am New York.

The contest started on June 22 and ends on Sept. 3. Farmers market shoppers throughout the U.S. vote for their favorite markets during the fourth annual competition. One small, one medium, and one large farmers market will win the title of America's Favorite Farmers Market for 2012.

New York City has experienced somewhat of a farmers market boom recently, which is represented well by its Greenmarket program. The program has expanded drastically since its humble beginning over 35 years ago. What began in 1976 as a small patch of 12 farmers markets on 59th Street and Second Avenue has now proliferated throughout the city to a total of 54 farmers markets. The U.S. experienced a 9.6-percent increase in total farmers markets this past year, with New York and California as the frontrunners.

The goal of the contest is to promote the role that farmers markets play in keeping family farmers in the farming industry. The 2012 America's Favorite Farmers Market contest has expanded to include all 7,175 markets that are listed in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Farmers Market Directory.

People can vote for as many participating farmers markets as they choose, but can only vote for each market once. The winning farmers markets will be promoted by the American Farmland Trust and honored at local celebrations.

Ryan Cousins is Junior Writer for The Daily Meal.  Follow him on Twitter @ourcuzreborn.