In a time when we look for unity, there was plenty on display Thursday morning at the Thomasville state farmers market.

Leaders and officials, black and white, gathered to let the state Department of Agriculture know that they want to keep the facility open and its business growing.

Georgia’s departments and its agencies are faced with severe spending cuts, brought on by the lack of revenues the novel coronavirus shutdown incurred. Of the nine state farmers’ markets, the state Department of Agriculture is looking at shuttering five of them. 

Thomasville’s market is on that list.

In addition, the state Ag Department is considering not being a part of two of the biggest agriculture-related events each year in the state, the Georgia National Fair in Perry and Moultrie’s Sun Belt Ag Expo, as a way to reduce expenses. 

There’s going to be a lot of belt-tightening across state government in the next several weeks and months. But as Thomasville City Council member David Hufstetler pointed out Thursday morning, one farmers market makes money for the state. And it’s Thomasville’s. 

Without the farmers’ market, many local growers could suffer from not having an outlet to sell their wares. The farmers’ market also boasts a strong and vibrant customer base. Some buyers were coming this weekend from Miami just to get peas, Cindy Lewis of Lewis Produce told officials touring the market Thursday.

Budget cuts are a reality and inevitable for our state in the very near term. Hopefully, the show of solidarity from local officials can convince the state Ag Department to keep the doors open at our local farmers’ market and to help keep its business growing.