Future looks bright for state farmers market
Published 1:27 pm Wednesday, October 28, 2020
- The state may keep the Thomasville Farmers Market open, making it open seasonally instead of year-round, local lawmakers and businesses at the market aren't in favor.
THOMASVILLE — The community outcry about the possibility of Thomasville’s state farmers market closing appears to have paid off.
The market will remain open. The Oct. 1 closing had been pushed to Jan. 1.
A Georgia Department of Agriculture official reached out to local officials and wanted to meet in person with local community leaders.
The official said the market will remain open while the state budget is looked at next year, with COVID-19’s effect to be taken into account.
“If the budget recovers like it has so far, they plan to keep the farmers market on state books,” said Shelley Zorn, Thomasville Payroll Development executive director, who was among those meeting with the agriculture commission official.
“He told us that at this point (agriculture Commissioner) Gary Black will not close the Thomasville farmers market,” Zorn said.
Thomas County residents, farmers, people with retail and wholesale produce businesses at the farmers market, city and county leaders, PDA officials and District 173 state Rep. Darlene Taylor, R-Thomasville, contacted Black personally about the proposed closing.
Local officials and Taylor also talked to Gov. Brian Kemp about the announced closing.
“There was a lot of engagement that turned the tide,” Zorn said.
The farmers market will continue to operate as it has in the past, she added.
The facility is a regional economic hub for farmers with produce to sell, Zorn said.
Cindy Lewis at Lewis Produce, a farmers market business, said she and her family are thankful the state is allowing their third-generation business to remain.
Customers, including those from out of town, could not believe the state would close the market, Lewis said, adding that customers said they would follow the business to a new location.
“We’re thankful the state thought differently and is leaving us here,” she said.
In the event the state closed the farmers market, an investor was prepared to purchase the facility and continue operating it as it functions now.
Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820
