North Carolina agriculture officials said the State Farmer's Market is seeing more people in the Triangle despite an increase in cyclosporiasis cases.
“I feel like everybody's being more mindful about where their food's coming from, which they should be,” said Monica Wood, the market manager at the State Farmers Market. “And by coming out and shopping at a farmer's market, it's one of those places where you're able to connect more with your food. You're able to talk to the farmers, and of course, with it being fresh and local, it's you know coming into the market quicker than something that may be grown out of state and that sort of thing.”
Although the State Farmer's Market is seeing more people, Wood said that this time of the year is also typically their peak season.
But, that story isn’t the same for all farmers in the state. The North Carolina Growers Association said some other farmers across the state are seeing fewer people come to purchase their produce at local farmer's markets. The group represents more than 700 farms, including those who sell fruits and vegetables at farmers markets in Raleigh, Greensboro, and Asheville. That includes lettuce, which is one of the foods linked to the outbreak.
Lee Wicker, deputy director of the N.C. Growers Association, said farmers that he’s talked to are seeing fewer patrons due to the outbreak.
“If sales drop enough, you know they'll basically be going to Congress and asking for some emergency aid package money, so that they can pay their bills and not close the doors,” he said.
Still, Wicker said as of last month, they aren't at that stage yet. While some experts believe the outbreak is not the sole reason for some farmers struggling, they acknowledge that it might have “exacerbated a lot of the challenges that were already existing for local producers.”
“Because now they are having to make sure they are clearly marketed as a separate entity from the larger supply chain that this (cyclospora) problem stemmed from,” said Raymond Thomas, an agribusiness and marketing extension specialist at North Carolina A&T State University. “And I think the better they get at that, the more we'll start to see that shift into local produce being that go-to option for our consumers in the state of North Carolina.”
Thomas said he’s seeing a rise in residents choosing to purchase local produce in certain areas, specifically because of cyclosporiasis cases being linked to farms outside of North Carolina.
“Particularly areas that already have a pretty well established supply chain for local produce,” he added. “You do have some areas in North Carolina that you know are a little bit better and have their local food system integrated a little bit more seamlessly into their community as a whole.So far, state health officials say the most common foods linked to North Carolina’s outbreak are parsley, cilantro, and lettuce.
As of Tuesday, there are 929 cases of cyclosporiasis, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. The majority of the cases are in Wake County. Symptoms of cyclosporiasis are severe diarrhea, nausea, and weight loss as well as loss of appetite, fatigue, and bloating.
