Abstract
This study applies an ordered logistic regression to data collected in 2015 using in-person survey, mail, and online surveys from fresh produce vendors at farmers’ markets within the south central and western Kentucky regions. The purpose was to explain levels of difficult the vendors face when complying with market regulations. Results indicate that an average fresh produce vendor at farmers’ market is 26 percent likely going to comply with market regulations easily, 69 percent moderately, and 4 percent hardly. Participating in CSA and “local” labeling programs, years of farming experience, and being a male vendor are associated with finding relatively easy to comply with farmers markets regulations. Market managers and policy makers will find this study useful in ensuring that those regulations pose no greater difficult to the vendors. Likewise, findings are useful to the vendors for they indicate variables that make easier for them to comply with the regulations.
Highlights
Farmers’ markets are an alternative to supermarkets where farmers sell their produce directly to consumers without middlemen
Cumulative probabilities 0.269 0.963 1.000. These results suggest that an average fresh produce vendor at farmers’ market is 26 percent likely going to comply with market regulations 69 percent moderately, and 4 percent hardly
This posits that various market strategies by selling at farm stands, participating in CSA programs, and participating in “local” labeling programs, years of farming experience, and being a male vendor are associated with finding relatively easy to comply with farmers markets regulations
Summary
Farmers’ markets are an alternative to supermarkets where farmers sell their produce directly to consumers without middlemen. The markets have a set of market regulations for vendors to follow. This structure varies from state to state and market regulations are different (Public Health Law Center, 2014). According to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (2014), farmers’ markets in Kentucky do not have a general set of rules for all markets to follow. Each market operates independently and decides upon their rules and how they will be enforced. Even though there are no official regulations across all farmers’ markets, there are common rules that are seen throughout markets for vendors (Hamilton, 2002). The difficulties that vendors might face when complying with market regulations include paying participation fees, attending vendors’ meetings, adhering to market hours of operation, language barriers for those whose English is not their first language, and meeting quality standards
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