Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe unveil the new Farmers Markets "Forever” stamp design today in Washington. From left are Bernadine Prince, president of the Farmers Market Coalition and co-executive director of FRESHFARM, Vilsack, Donohue, and Jim Crawford of New Morning Farm, an organic operation in Houstontown, Pa. (Jerry Hagstrom/The Hagstrom Report)

The U.S. Postal Service today released four farmers market “Forever” stamps in a ceremony at the FRESHFARM Market on Vermont Avenue that is closest to the White House.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack joined Postmaster General Patrick Donahue at the ceremony.

Vilsack bought some first-day issue stamps and noted that he would send letters to an eighth grader in North Carolina who had written him recently and to his grandchildren. Stamps canceled on the first day of issue are treasured by collectors.

Not only are the stamps “great,” he said, they provided an opportunity to celebrate the 15th anniversary of National Farmers Market Week.

Vilsack said he would soon announce grants that will allow for the further expansion of farmers markets, and noted that his wife, Christie, an official at the Agency for International Development, shops each weekend at the Dupont Circle Farmers Market.

Robin Moline, a St. Croix Valley, Minn., artist who did the illustrations for the stamp, was also present to autograph the program booklet.

After the ceremony, a group of U.S Postal Service employees called the Panhandlers participated in a cooking contest using foods sold at the farmers market.

Ruth Golday, the chairman of the U.S. Postal Regulatory Commission, was also present. Goldway, a former city councilwoman and mayor of Santa Monica, Calif.the , founded the Santa Monica Farmers Market.

  Left: An instructor leads senior citizens in a dance at the farmers market. Right: The U.S. Postal Service “Panhandlers” competed in a cooking contest using foods from the farmers market. (Jerry Hagstrom/The Hagstrom Report)

Customers shop for the new farmers markets “Forever” stamps at the U.S. Postal Service booth. (Jerry Hagstrom/The Hagstrom Report)