Food access: Victoria Farmers’ Market recognized for community impact

Published 7:15 am Tuesday, August 5, 2025

By Michael Milliorn

The Victoria Farmers’ Market in the parking lot of the Dr. Pattie Dodson Public Health Center. (Advocate File Photo)

The Victoria Farmers’ Market, a staple event in Victoria occurring twice a week year-round, gives local vendors the opportunity to gain exposure in the community and elevate their businesses. The Food Bank of the Golden Crescent-managed event takes place at the Patti Dodson Center every Wednesday and Saturday.

The Victoria County Commissioners’ Court passed a proclamation recognizing this week as National Farmers’ Market Week and highlighted the importance of the Victoria Farmers’ Market. Since the Food Bank of the Golden Crescent took on management responsibilities for the farmers’ market, it has grown into a resource for local farmers and vendors to expand their businesses.

The proclamation recognizes the impact the Victoria Farmers’ Market has made on the businesses of local farmers and vendors. By proclaiming the week of Aug. 3-9 as Farmers’ Market Week in Victoria County, the commissioners urge all our citizens to celebrate and take advantage of the local resource.

“When I first came on as market manager in 2017, I think I had six vendors at the market that first day,” Meredith Byrd, Food Bank of the Golden Crescent Director of Community Engagement​​ and Farmers Market Manager, said. “This last market, I think I had 32. We have really grown, particularly this year.”

The Victoria Farmers’ Market has supported local farmers’ and vendors for 35 years. The market supports nearly 80 farms and small businesses in Victoria County and numerous surrounding counties: DeWitt County, Jackson County, Goliad County, Calhoun County and Lavaca County.

Vendors from as far away as Wharton County, Colorado County, Aransas County and Nueces County take advantage of the Victoria Farmers’ Market. The boundaries for local and eligible market participants is a 100-mile radius.

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    • “I think it speaks a lot to the support that this community gives this market, that we’re willing to have vendors come from an hour or so away to sell their wares with us,” Byrd said. “Local businesses have about 100 opportunities each year to sell with us.”

    With most participating vendors working full-time jobs, attendance at the Victoria Farmers’ Market often varies. Around six to eight vendors tend to sell on Wednesdays and around 30 to 40 sell on Saturdays.

    “Even with the smaller market on Wednesdays, [shoppers] can get fresh produce, eggs, honey, beef, pork, chicken and all kinds of homemade foods,” Byrd said. “I’m really pleased that we have some younger farmers getting into the game. Not a lot of young farmers are coming in to replace the ones that are aging out, so we’ve had some good success with getting younger families into homesteading, raising produce, raising animals and coming to us to help build their businesses.”

    The Victoria Farmers’ Market provides expanded access to local foods for community members, accepting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The market will hit two years of accepting SNAP payment in November of this year, collecting just under $10,000 in total SNAP transactions.

    The market began a partnership with Sustainable Food Center, a non-profit in Central Texas, introducing an initiative called Double Up Food Bucks. The initiative doubles a client’s SNAP dollars, up to $30, for each market. The matched SNAP dollars is completely funded by Sustainable Food Center and can only be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables.

    “If you come to the information booth with your lone star card and say, ‘I’d like to put $25 on my card to spend here at the market,’ we will give you $50 to spend,” Byrd said. “It’s encouraging people to use their SNAP for some good local fresh produce. Those vouchers don’t expire, and so if they don’t find the fruits and vegetables they want that week, they can come back the next weekend and use them then.”

    Michael Milliorn is a news reporter for the Victoria Advocate. You can reach him at michael.milliorn@vicad.com.

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