Smart shopping for farmers markets
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Mike Hinebrook, right, shops Thursday at the Oakland County Farmers Market. Photo: Joe Guillen/Axios
Michigan's massive cyclospora outbreak has made some shoppers think harder about where their produce comes from.
Why it matters: Metro Detroit's farmers markets offer a chance to buy closer to the source — and ask questions directly of the people selling your food.
State of play: The outbreak has eased since its early-summer peak. Michigan health officials have reported 14,718 cases and say new case reports continue to slow.
- MDHHS says residents can continue routine produce consumption and handling practices.
What they're saying: Amanda Shreve, executive director of the Michigan Farmers Market Association, says the biggest advantage for shoppers is knowing who grew their food and how it was handled before they bought it.
- Produce sold directly by farmers is typically harvested more recently, travels a shorter distance and passes through fewer hands, reducing some opportunities for contamination.
- "The benefit of the farmers market certainly starts with transparency and traceability," Shreve tells Axios.
Reality check: "Local" doesn't automatically mean "safe," MDHHS spokesperson Laina Stebbins tells Axios. Cyclospora contamination can happen anywhere through contaminated water or poor sanitation practices.
- The department says there's no specific proximity to a grower or supplier that guarantees safety.
What to ask: Shreve recommends asking where the produce came from and what happened after it was picked — including whether it was washed or refrigerated.
At the market: Dan Prielipp of Prielipp Farms and Greenhouse in Britton tells Axios he hasn't noticed a big increase in questions from shoppers this summer.
- His advice for shoppers is straightforward. Ask: "Did you grow this?"
- At his stand at the Oakland County Farmers Market, the answer is yes: "We grow what we sell."
Zoom in: Mike Hinebrook, of West Bloomfield, says the outbreak has changed his habits. He asks farmers where their produce was grown and has stopped ordering salads at restaurants.
- "I'm a vegetarian, so that hurts me," Hinebrook tells Axios.
The bottom line: Wash produce before eating it, regardless of whether it came from your backyard, a farmers market or a grocery store, Shreve says.