Tops Friendly Markets and the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets announced a brand-new celebration of local agriculture: The Tops/NYS Grown & Certified Amaiz-ing Corn Boil. 
On Saturday, Aug. 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. shoppers can stop by Tops locations in Amherst, Henrietta, Fayetteville and Carmel, NY, for family-friendly agricultural activities, giveaways, and to sample delicious New York State Amaize Sweet Corn, grown by NYS Grown & Certified farms Eden Valley Growers in Eden, NY, and Reeves Farms in Baldwinsville, NY.
New York State Amaize Sweet Corn is now available in all Tops local stores this weekend.
State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “We are proud to once again partner with Tops Friendly Markets to help share the great story of New York’s farmers and producers through the New York State Grown & Certified program. We encourage shoppers to come out to Saturday’s event to try some delicious fresh New York state produce and dairy and not only learn more about New York agriculture, but also about our farmers behind these great products. We thank Tops Friendly Markets for supporting our efforts to promote our producers and put certified products in the hands of consumers.”
“Local farms bring Tops their freshest homegrown fruits and vegetables, so you bring home the best to your family while supporting your neighbors," said Jeff Cady, director of produce and floral for Tops Friendly Markets. "Produce picked today can be on your table tonight so when we say local, we mean it. Our local produce is grown on farms and orchards with generations of growing experience, so you'll always get the highest quality for your family. It's inspected by experts you can trust, and when it arrives in store you know that it is at the peak of perfection.”
Tops is also the exclusive provider of Amaize Corn to the communities it serves. This natural breed of sweet corn, noted for its delicious taste, crunchy texture, and incredible sweetness is a rare breed of corn using traditional hybridization methods. It is not genetically modified and is grown in limited supply locally using conventional farming methods.
Tops was also the first grocery retailer to feature and market products grown by New York farmers who adhere to the NYS Grown & Certified program’s requirements, including verification of safe food handling practices and participation in environmental sustainability programs. More than 150 products sold under the State’s NYS Grown & Certified seal are available at all Tops Friendly Markets stores across the chain’s three-state imprint.
To highlight the New York producers who meet program requirements, NYS Grown & Certified is supported by a multi-pronged marketing campaign, including on-product labels, promotional materials, website, and social media channels.
“Everyone in New York looks forward to homegrown corn season and we are excited to provide our local partners with the best corn in western New York," said Dave Walczak of Eden Valley Growers. "It’s picked every day to give them the freshest and sweetest corn possible!”
“Tops is a great partner," said Karin Reeves, sales manager and partner at Reeves Farms LLC. "We have sold produce to several of their stores for over 25 years. We really appreciate their commitment to local produce and New York state farms.”
