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“Capitol Market at the Capitol” will return to the grounds of the West Virginia State Capitol again this year, offering employees at the complex the opportunity to pick up fresh fruits and vegetables during their lunch breaks.
The Market will celebrate its grand opening for the season, Wednesday, July 15, from 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m., with a ceremony featuring First Lady Gayle Manchin, Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Hannah and Martha Walker, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources.
It will be open every Wednesday and Friday through August 19. On Wednesdays, the Market will feature fresh fruits and vegetables. On Fridays, the Market will feature fresh fruit only.
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) will host a free corn roast at the Market on August 5, in honor of National Farmers’ Market Week and West Virginia “Eat Local Day.”
“This service has grown every year in popularity and this is evident by the long lines that form at the produce table,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass. “I encourage all West Virginians throughout the state to visit their local markets, eat local and be healthy.”
"The food choices you make today, and every day, affect your health now and in the future,” said Martha Walker, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources. “Capitol Market at the Capitol makes it easy for state employees at the complex and folks in the surrounding community to buy fresh, locally-grown produce. Healthier food choices and getting more exercise are keys to a healthy lifestyle.”
The project is in its fifth year. It began as part of First Lady Gayle Manchin’s Healthy Lifestyles Initiative and the WVDA’s ongoing efforts to promote farmers’ markets in West Virginia.
The collaborative efforts of wellness coordinators from the Department of Health and Human Resources, Development Office, Division of Motor Vehicles and Department of Education make Capitol Market at the Capitol a continuing success. Additional partners for the operation of the market are the Department of Agriculture, Capitol Market and the Department of Administration.
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials in West Virginia. Currently, Commissioner Gus R. Douglass is the longest-serving agriculture commissioner in the nation. For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org.
“The Basis of All Wealth is Agriculture.”
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