GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- Doing business with a farmers' market phony selling non-local food might bother some shoppers, but not all, according to a new University of Florida study.

Shoppers often assume farmers' markets sell only the freshest crops from small, local operations, said Mickie Swisher, an associate professor with UF's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. But with the number of U.S. farmers' markets more than quadrupled since 1994, big-volume produce dealers sometimes use them to sell items shipped from other states or countries.

School Districts, Food Banks and Non-Profit Organizations Eligible to Apply

Tallahassee, FL – Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam announced today that the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is offering grants for the development or expansion of community and school gardens to grow specialty crops in Florida. Local governments, school districts, food banks, and public or private non-profit organizations are eligible to apply.