To my surprise, I was denied entry — not because my farm products failed to meet any quality standards, but because decisions were made based on personal popularity rather than agricultural contribution. A bakery was selected over a working farm, and it became clear that farmers were not being prioritized at a farmers market. The suicide rate among farmers is estimated to be 3.5 times that of the general population. But when farmers are shut out of farmers markets in favor of popularity contests, it sends a discouraging message: that friendship ties matter more than the work of those growing our food. If we want to preserve family farms, protect farmland and ensure the next generation has access to real, local food, we need to make sure farmers markets put farmers first.