"No Faked Goods" Makes It To National Media!!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703404004575198270918567074.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_6

An article appearing in the April 29, 2010 edition of The Wall Street Journal highlights the fraud occurring at some of the Farmers Markets across the country. The article cites the "No Faked Goods" campaign being waged by former Market Commission Chair Luis Vazquez, and Kapnicks "operator" Scott Robertello's (note he did not say to the WSJ reporter anything about his purported 'ownership' of Kapnick's Orchards) continued flouting of "Producer-only" Market Operating Rules.

Apparently, Market Muckraker Vazquez is not alone in advocating for better policing of "Producer-only" claims. Also apparent is that numerous markets are attempting to "weed out" the "bad apples" - those re-sellers who undercut the REAL farmers.

As Locavore movements sprout up across the US, one can expect that this issue will not die, and maybe, just maybe, Market Manager Mollie Notarianni will get the message that Ann Arborites do not want fraud.

It should be noted that at the Market Commission meeting on April 6th, 2010, Mr Vazquez asked the Market Manager to investigate the sale (re-sale really) of "Proven Winners" plants. There are a few vendors at the market re-selling these items. Vendors must include a Proven Winners tag in their pots as they sell the plants - this according to an agreement which MUST be signed by the vendor. The agreement can be found here: http://www.fourstargh.com/information/documents/Customer-GrowerAgreement2009-2010.pdf

Curiously enough, during the meeting, Market Commissioner Dave Barkman admitted to selling Proven Winners plants at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market, and tried to claim they are "just like any other plants sold there." Great, we have a sitting commissioner, from out-of-town, who knowingly is breaking the Producer-only rules, involved in the rulemaking process.

We begin to see a pattern here: first, Scott Robertello was a Market Commissioner who had a hand in delaying any rules development and construction of additional sheds at the market. He participated on a "Harassment Committee" and tried to get Mr Vazquez removed from the commission, and another organic produce vendor arrested - for very flimsy reasons. Now we have another Market Commissioner - Dave Barkman - who was also a member of the Harassment Committee (boy, did they ever name themselves correctly!), who sells the same Proven Winner plants that one can purchase locally (and presumably for a better price) at Meijers, The Produce Station, Alexander Farm Market, Abbott's Nursery, English Gardens, Home Depot, Fraleigh's Landscape Nursery, Plymouth Nursery, J&T Gracia's (wait - they're another A2 Farmer's Market vendor!) and about 100 other retailers within 25 miles of Ann Arbor (see list in the locator at www.provenwinners.com). Are the Proven Winners products so unique that they should be given premium space (and price) at our market? Undercutting those real farmers who can prove they grow from seed?

All of this must be embarrassing to the Market Commission, and to the Market Manager. They may have to change the name from Farmer's Market to Broker's Market, because of the fraudulent business activities of a few unscrupulous vendors.

Fuzzbollah suggests its long past time to clean up the corruption at this market, and that Dave Barkman resign from his commission post before somebody demands his removal for cause.