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01/10/2010 -
Students in New York City will no longer have to worry about bringing cash to the Columbia Greenmarket farmer's market - vendors are installing point-of-sale terminals to encourage students to buy organic.Greenmarkets across the city began accepting credit and debit card payments approximately six weeks ago and business has been booming, helping students eat healthy and save money, the Columbia Spectator reports.
Each week, vendors flood the streets between 113th and 115th to sale their wares, ranging from apple stands and dairy products to the more exotic ostrich steaks and eggs, the paper writes.
"A lot of students have come out and said, "This is great - I never carry cash on me,'" Margaret Hoffman, regional coordinator of farmers' markets across Upper Manhattan, said. "I think this will make the market a lot more accessible to people."
In Canada, farmers' markets are increasing in popularity. According to a study in 2008 by Farmers' Markets Canada, the direct sales generated by farmers' markets is an estimated $1.03 billion. However, 53 percent of vendors believed they would increase sales if an ATM were nearby - only 7 percent of vendors accept credit cards and only 5 percent allow customers to pay with debit.
