Longitudinal Poisson Assessment of Factors Influencing Farmers’ Market Counts

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis study uses secondary longitudinal data and a first difference pooled Poisson regression model to explain annual counts for farmers’ markets in the United States. Data were collected for all 50 states and the District of Columbia for 10 years, from 2004 to 2013, leading to a longitudinal data set with 510 observations. Results indicate that population growth and funds routed toward Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) farmers’ market nutrition programs increase farmers’ markets’ annual counts. The rate ratio of farmers’ markets’ counts for highly populated states that have both WIC and senior farmers’ market nutrition programs is approximately three times greater than their counterparts. Areas with high agriculture output experience a significant increase in counts. States located in the south and in desert areas have lower counts than other regions. This study suggests important recommendations to policy makers, farmers’ market managers, and researchers.