CHANCELL-ING: A Taste of UC Davis at the Farmers Market

Congratulations to the Davis Farmers Market for reaching its 50th anniversary last month. It’s a proud moment for one of California’s first certified farmers markets — that is, a specific market approved by a county agricultural commissioner. Over the decades, the Davis Farmers Market has transformed into a town square where local residents, students and foodies meet to source fresh foods and connect.

We know that healthy and nutritious food is a system, all the way from small local farmers to large-scale producers. As the nation’s No. 1 agricultural school, UC Davis is committed to help strengthen the access to fresh, nutritious food.

UC Davis’ footprint has been a critical part of the market since its beginnings in the mid-1970s. The market’s founders included UC Davis students and alumni who put what they were learning into action, seeking new ways for the community to access healthy foods and support local farmers. Some of these students were mentored by the late Isao Fujimoto, a UC Davis rural sociologist who believed access to fresh, healthy food was a matter of social justice for a community.

These connections have only deepened over the last half century. Walk through the market, and you’re bound to find a farmer or vendor working with UC Davis — as a research partner, collaborator or community partner.

Debbie Ramming from Pacific Star Gardens, an employee of Davis Farmers Market and longtime seller, works with UC Davis annually to plan and test experimental strawberry varieties. This is part of the university’s broader efforts to make innovations in strawberry breeding, such as developing new varieties of disease-resistant fruit.

Feather River Farms, a current market vendor, sells red walnuts developed at UC Davis. They are known as the Robert Livermore walnut, named after a UC Davis alum who specialized in breeding new walnut varieties.

These partnerships also help address challenges facing our communities. For example, UC Davis School of Law’s Small Farmer Water Justice Clinic works with Good Humus Produce, a market vendor, on groundwater issues. This clinic also allows our law students to work with farmers around the complexities of California groundwater regulations.

Some of the market’s vendors also find their way to UC Davis. For example, Pachamama supplies its organic farmer-owned coffee to our ASUCD Coffee House. UC Davis also purchases organic Pink Ladies and other apple varieties from Mt. Moriah Farms, an area producer that’s especially popular at the market during the fall harvest season.

Our pioneering Davis Farmers Market founders helped break new ground in our state by helping change California regulations allowing direct sales from farmers. Desmond Jolly, a UC Davis professor of agricultural economics, played an especially strong role in developing these Certified Farmers Market regulations.

Now, markets like ours are a hallmark of California, with about 650 certified farmers markets and roughly 2,700 certified producers in the state. They are crucial for sustaining small-scale producers and providing nutritious, seasonal foods to our community.

That same commitment to community well-being extends to our students who face food insecurity. They can use CalFresh benefits at the Davis Farmers Market, with a Market Match program providing up to $15 in matching funds. UC Davis students can also use their Aggie Cash at our Spring and Fall campus farmers markets.

Speaking of anniversaries, the UC Davis Farmers Market turns 20 this year, with a celebration on Oct. 14. We appreciate the Davis Farmers Market for sponsoring the 2026-27 UC Davis Farmers Market.

With the new academic year starting on Sept. 21, we welcome new and returning Aggies who will soon be flocking to the market. It’s a place for them to shop, connect and feel part of with the community they call home.

Here’s another round of congratulations to the Davis Farmers Market on 50 years. And, here’s to many more years of collaboration to build healthier, more sustainable food systems.