The new South Carolina State Farmers Market will be a state of the art facility that provides the agricultural community of South Carolina with a one of a kind venue in which to showcase South Carolina products. The proposed site in Lexington County is located on U.S. Hwy. 321 and is within 1.5 miles of both I-77 and I-26, with over 2,500 feet of frontage on I-26. The new market design is based upon a clearly defined plan that provides separate and distinct areas for the major wholesale vendors, the retail sale of South Carolina agricultural products, with a section specifically designed for this purpose, and also a farmers' shed section, which will be owned and operated by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture and will provide an environment for South Carolina farmers to rent space on a daily or seasonal basis in order to offer their products.

The new market will be opening in phases, with the SCDA's Laboratory and Consumer Services facility, farmers sheds and administration building coming first. The Laboratory and Consumer Services Facility is currently open. Also opening will be private wholesale companies V.B. Hook & Co., Inc., Senn Brothers Inc. and Supersod, Inc. The greenhouse section will be under construction soon and is anticipated to be finished by the time the Fall Plant and Flower Festival begins on October 8, 2010.

Phase II, scheduled to open in the winter of 2010, will include portions of the retail agribusinesss section to include The Corbett Building (Stables Building C) which will house the exhibition kitchen, restaurant, bakery and retail produce space. Construction has begun on Building C, with the foundation already in place. Also opening in phase II will be the amphitheater, school bus drop off area and the RV Park.

Later phases will include SCDA conference center, additional Stables and Porches buildings for the sale of produce and other SC products, a specialty foods shop, a meat market and a seafood market.