Researching Successful Strategies and Barriers for Farmers’ Markets to Serve Low-Income Communities

Start Date: September 2008

ID #: 65049

Principal Investigator: Stephen Davies, MArch

Co-Principal Investigator: Kathryn Neckerman, PhD

Organization: Project for Public Spaces

Funding Round: Round 3

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This project will examine strategies for implementing farmers’ markets in low-income communities, as well as barriers that need to be addressed to improve the viability of markets in these areas. This research will combine case study analysis and examination of a wide array of existing data collected by Project for Public Spaces (PPS) grantees, each of whom have implemented a variety of strategies to enhance the sustainability and community impact of the market. Specifically, this study seeks to address the following research questions: (1) what strategies are most effective in developing financially sustainable farmers’ markets in low- to moderate-income communities?, (2) what characteristics are most effective in attracting low-income and minority community shoppers to these markets?, and (3) how does youth-oriented farmers’ market programming affect orientation to healthy eating among children and families?

Age Groups: Adolescents (grades 9 to 12), Adults and Families, Elementary-age children (grades K to 5), Preschool-age children (ages 3 to 5), Young adolescents (grades 6 to 8)

Keywords: Community setting, Farmers' markets, Fruits and vegetables, Urban

States: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Washington, Wisconsin

Focus Area: Food Access

Resource Type: Grant Summary

Race/Ethnicity: Multi-racial/ethnic

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