A farmers market enables farmers to sell their products directly to consumers, and often includes: fruits, vegetables, meats, poultry, dairy products, grains, baked goods and flowers. Market locations range from rural roadsides to town squares. Some farmers promote their products as natural or organic. By selling directly to consumers, farmers spend less on packaging, handling and transport for their products. By removing the vendor as a middleman, farmers can also get higher financial yields, have better gauges on price control, and sell directly to the consumer, which often breeds customer loyalty.

Consumers benefit from farmers markets by buying fresh and local food directly from the producer. This personal relationship also lets customers know exactly how those goods were produced by speaking with the farmer. In addition, consumers can give direct feedback to farmers about their prices and quality of goods. (Photo: littleny/Shutterstock.com)