Salinas Valley Health Certified Farmers’ Market to Kick off Friday May 14th

Media Contact: Karina Rusk
831-759-1843

Salinas Valley Health’s Farmers’ Market kicks off its 2021 market season on Friday, May 14th. The Certified Farmers’ Market offers fresh fruits and vegetables, flowers, prepared foods and other items - many of them grown by small-scale family farmers.

The Salinas Valley is known as the Salad Bowl of the World and unlike other parts of the country, many locally grown and harvested products are available year round. Eating and cooking fresh produce is part of a healthy lifestyle, which can reduce the risk of chronic illness and disease.

“The Salinas Valley Health Certified Farmers’ Market will operate under a modified plan implementing and adhering to guidelines set forth by the CDC and the Monterey County Health Department for operating this type of event during the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Amanda Meyer, Health Promotion Manager at Salinas Valley Health. “We look forward to seeing our neighbors and community members shopping at the Farmers’ Market on Friday afternoons.”

Under the modified market plan, the following actions will take place:

• There will be signage promoting safety tips for those in attendance.
• Face masks are required.
• We ask the community to continue practicing social distancing.
• Hand sanitizer will be available to the community and to vendors.
• Increased cleaning of surface areas.
• No seating until further notice.

People who receive CalFresh benefits (food stamps) and who use their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards at the Farmers’ Market can receive bonus money toward the purchase of fruits and vegetables. The Farmers’ Market is supported and funded by Salinas Valley Health and in partnership with Everyone’s Harvest, a local nonprofit that operates certified farmers’ markets in Monterey County.

The Salinas Valley Health Farmers’ Market begins Friday, May 14^th from 12:30pm-5:30pm in the MRI parking lot of the medical center at the corner of Wilgart Way and East Romie Lane. The Farmers’ Market will take place every Friday afternoon until November 12th. In November, the market will close at 4:30pm due to the time change. For more information, call our Health Promotion Department at 831-759-1890 or visit svmh.com/farmersmarket.