By Lookout Staff

March 26, 2012 -- Laura Avery, who has managed the Santa Monica Farmers Market for 30 years, has been awarded the Buy Fresh Buy Local award by the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF).

Laura Avery. Photo courtesy of Community Alliance with Family Farmers

The award is presented to a community member who "exemplifies exceptional work on behalf of small farmers," according to statement from the alliance.

"In developing the market, (Avery) and other champions within the city had to create the rules as they went along," alliance officials said. "But at each step, the aim was always to ensure that the market benefited local, family farmers and brought the best of every season to consumers hungry for delicious local food.

"The emphasis was on creating and maintaining a direct line from producer to consumer, and the market has been limited to producers who sell what they grow," the alliance said.

Avery says the reward for her work comes from the reactions of both the local consumers and the farmers who serve them.

 “I love local food because it’s making people more conscious consumers," Avery said. "There is a value to local. The bottom line is it's really helping the farmer stay on the farm.

"And farmers love seeing their customers' faces light up," Avery added. "It's a reward for all their hard work.” 

Since Avery began running the Santa Monica Farmers market in the 1980s, the number of markets in Los Angeles County has increased from a handful to more than 130, and the number in Santa Monica has grown from one weekly market to four.

Avery, alliance officials said, "remains committed to working at the local and state levels to prevent fraud and ensure that all vendors at the market are truly selling locally grown produce that they grew themselves."