Farm Stands Research Articles

Using TAPE to assess agroecology on women-led farms in the U.S.: Support for environmental and social practices

Agriculture models predicated upon producing monocultures for export have proven unsustaina­ble. In response, the Food and Agriculture Organi­za­tion of the United Nations (FAO) has called for nations to produce food agroecologically in align­ment with natural ecosystems. The FAO identified women as critical yet underrepresented leaders in agroecology projects worldwide. Prior research about agroecology and women farmers has primar­ily been situated in low-income nations. This study examines women farming in the United States as a high-income nation to analyze if their practices align with agroecology using the FAO’s 10 Ele­ments of Agroecology and the FAO’s Tool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE). A mixed-methods case study design was used to collect web-based survey and interview data from 87 participants. We found that the participating women farmers tended to lead agroecological farming projects that provide direct nutritional, environmental, educational, and social services to their communities in alignment with elements of agroecology. Ninety percent of participants oper­ated farms at 100 acres (405 hectares) or less that mostly used direct sales models (farmers markets, community supported agriculture operations [CSAs], farm stands, and online sales), and half of participants offered opportunities for intergenera­tional engagement. These practices align with the FAO’s elements of Diversity, Co-creation and Sharing of Knowledge, Resilience, Human and Social Values, Culture and Food Traditions, and a Circular and Solidarity Economy. Environmentally, participants emphasized using practices for crop diversity, building soil health, and integrating ani­mals in alignment with the FAO elements of Diversity, Synergies, Recycling, and Resilience. Farm size and region were significant in the preva­lence of agroecological practices. Farms of 50–100 acres (202–405 hectares) were most likely to inte­grate animals, and farms in the Southeast were most likely to identify with conventional agricul­tural practices. Our data show that women-led farms in the U.S. align with sustainable agricultural practices as articulated by the FAO and, as in low-income nations, women play a valuable role in advancing a national agroecological transition.

Fruit and Vegetable Shopping Behavior and Intake among Low-Income Minority Households with Elementary-Aged Children.

Low-income children and families do not meet the recommendations for fruit and vegetable (FV) intake. This study aimed to assess the association between FV shopping behavior and child FV intake through a cross-sectional study design analyzing self-reported surveys (n = 6074) from adult-child dyads of Hispanic/Latino and African American participants enrolled in the Brighter Bites co-op program. Through quantitative mixed effects linear regression models, accounting for school-level clustering and adjusting for covariates, child FV intake was positively associated with shopping for FV at large chain grocery stores (p < 0.001), natural/organic supermarkets (p < 0.001), warehouse club stores (p = 0.002), discount superstores (p < 0.001), small local stores/corner stores (p = 0.038), convenience stores (p = 0.022), ethnic markets (p = 0.002), farmers’ markets/co-op/school farm stands (p < 0.001), and gardens (p = 0.009) among Hispanic/Latinos participants. Among African American participants, there was significant positive association between child FV intake and shopping for FV at natural/organic supermarkets (p < 0.001), discount superstores (p = 0.005), and convenience stores (p = 0.031). The relationship between location and frequency of shopping for FV and child FV intake varied between races. Further research is needed to better understand the influence of cultural and physical environmental factors. Nutrition education programs are vital to encouraging families to make healthier food choices and purchases to improve child FV consumption.

An Investigation of Social Ecological Barriers to and Facilitators of WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program Voucher Redemption.

In the United States, many communities lack sufficient access to fresh produce. To improve access to fresh fruits and vegetables, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides eligible participants vouchers through the Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) that can be redeemed directly from farmers at markets or farm stands. However, FMNP voucher redemption rates in New Jersey remain lower than those in neighboring states. This article used the social ecological model to examine differences between FMNP participants who redeem vouchers (Redeemers) and those who do not (non-Redeemers) in the areas of: produce procurement practices and consumption frequency, and barriers to and facilitators of FMNP voucher redemption. This cross-sectional study included WIC FMNP participants (N = 329) in northern New Jersey, USA. Analyses were conducted using descriptive statistics, independent sample t-tests, and one-way ANOVA. Compared to Redeemers, non-Redeemers consumed fewer average daily vegetable servings, were more likely to shop at small grocery/corner stores, and encountered significant barriers to FMNP redemption, e.g., difficulty finding time to redeem vouchers.

Exploring the Impact of Policies to Improve Geographic and Economic Access to Vegetables among Low-Income, Predominantly Latino Urban Residents: An Agent-Based Model.

Modifying the food environment of cities is a promising strategy for improving dietary behaviors, but using traditional empirical methods to test the effectiveness of these strategies remains challenging. We developed an agent-based model to simulate the food environment of Austin, Texas, USA, and to test the impact of different food access policies on vegetable consumption among low-income, predominantly Latino residents. The model was developed and calibrated using empirical data from the FRESH-Austin Study, a natural experiment. We simulated five policy scenarios: (1) business as usual; (2)–(4) expanding geographic and/or economic healthy food access via the Fresh for Less program (i.e., through farm stands, mobile markets, and healthy corner stores); and (5) expanding economic access to vegetables in supermarkets and small grocers. The model predicted that increasing geographic and/or economic access to healthy corner stores will not meaningfully improve vegetable intake, whilst implementing high discounts (>85%) on the cost of vegetables, or jointly increasing geographic and economic access to mobile markets or farm stands, will increase vegetable intake among low-income groups. Implementing discounts at supermarkets and small grocers is also predicted to be an effective policy for increasing vegetable consumption. This work highlights the utility of agent-based modeling for informing food access policies.

The Need to Incorporate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Reflections from a National Initiative Measuring Fruit and Vegetable Intake

The Need to Incorporate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Reflections from a National Initiative Measuring Fruit and Vegetable Intake

Market challenges for local specialty crop producers during the early phase of COVID-19 in North Carolina

In March of 2020, as the number of COVID-19 cases increased in North Carolina (NC), the state encouraged people to stay at home; this included closing restaurants and canceling large events, as well as reducing the number of people gathering. The economic and health crises created by COVID-19 forced specialty crop producers who sell to local markets, such as restaurants and institutions, to pivot their marketing plans as the growing season began to ramp up. This article reports the responses to the first in a series of producer surveys assessing the impact of the economic and health crises on crop production, market channels, and producer concerns during one of the most insecure times in modern history. Results show that producers who could pivot their marketing plans mostly increased sales through online channels and farm stands. However, almost 50% of the usual market channels were reported to be closed due to COVID-19. Additionally, most producers voiced concerns about economic and health safety in the immediate future. To address these concerns as the pandemic unfolded, there was a need for trusted information. Respondents reported that they rely on Extension and other government agencies for this information and updates regarding the pandemic. This survey captured the early impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the specialty crop-producing industry in NC. Additional surveys will provide information on how the pandemic evolved during 2020.

Adaptation of resilient regenerative agricultural practices by small-scale growers towards sustainable food production in north-central Arizona

The demand for agricultural lands for other uses because of population growth and extreme climate in Arizona led to 57% decrease in average farm size and 127% increase in farm numbers from 1997 to 2017, which threaten sustainable local food production. Small-scale family farms of less than 10 acres make up 50% of the farmer population in the state and have a vital role in resilient and sustainable practices that maximize land use with less negative impact on the environment. This study investigated land use and farm practices among small-scale growers in north-central Arizona in their resilience in sustainable food production. The finding revealed 52% of the small farms are family operations with dominant regenerative and sustainable practices (27% cover cropping, 26% compost, 23% crop rotation, 22% animal and green manure, 21% no-till, and 18% reduced tillage) with less interest in conventional practices (5% intensive tillage and 13% synthetic fertilizers). Ninety-five percent of the growers used biological, cultural, or mechanical practices for weed, pest, and disease control, while only 5% used conventional synthetic chemicals. For water use, 78% of the growers used water-saving irrigation practices (drip, subsurface, and sprinklers), while 11% used open flood irrigation. Driving forces for the sustainable practices among the small-scale growers are their consumers (community supported agriculture, restaurants, Farmers' Markets, and farm stands) and extreme climate conditions. Small-scale growers have great potential in advancing resilient, environmentally friendly practices for sustainable local food production and environmental stewardship.

COVID-19 and Farm Stands: Steps for Farm Stand Operators

This new flyer, written by Natalie Seymour, Mary Yavelak, Candice Christian, and Ben Chapman (NCSU) and published by the UF/IFAS Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, provides information on best practices, communication with customers, and cleaning and disinfection for farm stand operators. The original version of this flyer was published at https://foodsafety.ces.ncsu.edu/covid-19-resources/. FSHN20-28/FS370: COVID-19 and Farm Stands: Steps for Farm Stand Operators (ufl.edu)

Food-related health risks due to accessibility barriers

Issues with access to fresh and healthy produce can have long-lasting impacts on health, especially food-related health outcomes such as obesity and diabetes. To address these health outcomes (at least partially), researchers have often discussed various solutions to ameliorate access issues to fresh and healthy produce in order to encourage residents to purchase and consume more nutritious foods. Access to healthy foods have been discussed in terms of traditional grocery stores availability, alternative fresh food venues such as farmers markets and farm stands, and federal programmes that provide support for food procurement for lower income families. Access by itself also refers to the physical ability of getting to these fresh food venues and research has also discussed the ownership of, and access to vehicles by households of varying economic abilities. In this paper, we suggest that apart from these initiatives, there needs to be a conscientious effort in understanding that public transit also plays a crucial role in accessibility, and added to that, the understanding of food needs and preferences of ethnically diverse populations is in order to be able to address the nutritional component and cultural acceptance of foods that are commonly sought by these populations. Awareness, availability, acceptance and accessibility need to be combined with affordability to help encourage residents to include fresh and healthy produce into their daily diets in order to combat common food-related health issues.

Associations between frequency of food shopping at different food sources and fruit and vegetable intake among rural residents in upstate New York, USA.

To examine the frequency of shopping at different food sources and the associations between shopping at different food sources and fruit and vegetable (FV) intake among upstate New York rural residents. Cross-sectional study. Descriptive statistics and linear mixed models were used. Eighty-two rural communities in upstate New York, USA. Adults (n 465; 82·3 % female, mean age 51·5 years, mean BMI 31·7 kg/m2). Within one's community, the majority of participants reported often going to supermarkets (73·1 %). Many participants sometimes or occasionally shopped at superstores (48·0 %), convenience stores (57·9 %), small grocery stores or local markets (57·2 %), farmers' markets or FV stores (66·6 %), dollar stores (51·5 %), pharmacies (46·0 %), or farm stands or community-supported agriculture (56·8 %). Most participants had never utilized food banks or food pantries (94·0 %), community gardens (92·7 %) or home food delivery (91·9 %). While frequent visits to farmers' markets or farm stands were associated with higher fruit intake (P < 0·001), frequent visits to food co-ops or food hubs were associated with lower fruit intake (P = 0·004). Frequent visits to convenience stores (P = 0·002) and dollar stores (P = 0·004) were associated with lower vegetable intake. When FV intakes were combined, frequent visits to farmers' markets or farm stands (P < 0·001) were associated with higher FV intake, and frequent visits to convenience stores (P = 0·005) were associated with lower FV intake. Findings from the present study provide important insight for informing future food environment interventions related to helping rural residents consume adequate FV.

The town that food saved? Investigating the promise of a local food economy in Vermont

ABSTRACTProponents of the local food movement point to its environmental, economic, and social benefits, yet there is little research on the extent to which particular local food projects live up to these promises. Vermont leads the country in farm stands, direct-to-consumer sales, and farmers’ markets per capita and the town of Hardwick, Vermont has received substantial media attention for its growing economy based on new food and agriculture businesses, including being the subject of a book entitled The Town that Food Saved. Using interviews with local food participants and analysis of US Census data, the paper assesses the impact of the local food economy in Hardwick using environmental, economic, and social outcomes. The paper also examines how the agricultural renaissance there has been accepted, resisted, and shaped by local actors. Using Census data, the paper finds that between 2000 and 2016, the unemployment rate in Hardwick remained steady, mean incomes increased, and 296 new jobs have been retained. In addition, the percentage of families in Hardwick with income below the poverty level decreased between 2000 and 2016, and the percentage of families accessing supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) benefits increased. The paper also finds that many participants in the Hardwick food economy have concerns about the accessibility, affordability, and inclusivity of the newer food-based projects there. The paper concludes with a discussion of the ways in which Hardwick fulfils some of the hopes and concerns of the local food movement, and the potential for place-based agricultural development.

Farm Direct at Five Years: An Early Assessment of Oregon's Farm-Focused Cottage Food Law

In 2011, the Oregon legislature passed the Farm Direct Marketing Law (FDML), which took effect in 2012. The law clarified licensing and food safety requirements for direct-to-consumer sales at farmers markets, farm stands, and similar venues. It also included a “cottage food” provision allowing farms to make and sell certain low-risk, value-added products from farm-grown ingredients, direct to consumer, without a food processor’s license. Advocates predicted enhanced small farm viability through new products and revenue streams, market season extension, reduced processing costs, test marketing opportunities, and other avenues. Detractors warned the deregulation would cause outbreaks of foodborne illness. In 2016, the law’s fifth year, we explored these predictions and early outcomes. We conducted a focus group with stakeholders and semistructured interviews with two key informants, 18 farmers, and 24 farmers market managers around Oregon. We found farmers mak­ing and selling a variety of value-added products under the FDML. We found no foodborne illness linked to FDML products. Interviewees described multiple benefits resulting from the law, many corresponding to predicted benefits. They also described unanticipated benefits at the community level. Interviewees identified barriers and recom­mended changes related to the law and related education. We discuss the feasibility of these recommendations as well as the long-term poten­tial of the cottage food provision. We end by reflecting on the FDML as a whole, as it supports Oregon’s direct market farming sector. See the press release for this article.

Fruit and vegetable access programs and consumption in low-income communities

ABSTRACTStates, cities, and communities are implementing a variety of programs to increase access to fruits and vegetables, but relatively little is known about their impact, especially among low-income populations. To determine factors associated with program utilization and fruit and vegetable consumption, we interviewed 217 participants in three types of programs – farmers market Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) incentives, subsidized farm stands, and subsidized produce bag distribution – as well as a comparison group of 90 non-participants, all in King County, Washington. Demographics and utilization differed by program. Participation in the farmers market SNAP incentive program was positively associated with fruit and vegetable consumption.

ARE CONSUMER HEALTH CONCERNS INFLUENCING DIRECT-FROM-PRODUCER PURCHASING DECISIONS?

AbstractResearch has shown health concerns may motivate consumers to purchase foods sold at direct market outlets, yet connections between management of specific diseases and food purchase decisions remain unclear. We utilize a two-step decision framework to evaluate whether family incidences of six illnesses (cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, back/joint pain, and Alzheimer's disease/dementia) affect decisions to buy food at farmers’ markets and farm stands. We find that cancer, diabetes, obesity, and back/joint pain influence the decision to purchase from farm stands. Disease incidences have varying directional effects on frequency of purchase for both farmers’ markets and farm stands.

Impact of Information on Northeastern U.S. Consumer Willingness to Pay for Aronia Berries

Consumption of berries has increased significantly over the past couple of years. As such, producers and retailers are experimenting with new berry varieties to capture market share and increase their profitability. We examine consumer preference and willingness to pay (WTP) for a relatively new-to-market berry (aronia: Aronia mitschurinii Skvortsov et Maitulina) compared with another relatively new berry (black currant: Ribes nigrum L.) as well as more traditional (raspberry: Rubus idaeus L., blueberry: Vaccinium corymbosum L., and blackberry: Rubus fruticosus L.) berries. Given that aronia berries have an astringent/bitter flavor while having high antioxidant levels we investigate how taste and health information impact preference and WTP. Furthermore, we add to the literature by investigating the differences in WTP for locally and nonlocally (regional, the United States, and outside the United States) labeled berries across varying retail outlets (i.e., farmer’s markets, farm stands, grocery store). We find that new berries (aronia and black currant) are heavily discounted compared with more traditional berries. Potentially negative taste information (i.e., astringent/bitter flavor) has a negative impact on WTP, whereas positive health information has a positive impact on WTP. The positive effect of health information tends to offset the impact of the negative taste information. With respect to local labeling and retail outlet, locally labeled berries at a farmer’s market and farm stand have WTP values similar to locally labeled berries at a grocery store. On the other hand, nonlocally labeled berries sold at a grocery store were discounted compared with locally labeled berries at a grocery store.

仮設型直売システム定期開催型『マルシェ』の社会的意義と担い手の役割に関する研究

An increasing number of urban residents are interested in freshly harvested farm produce, as ideas of eating locally produced foods, promoting dietary education, and reviewing the significance of slow food have been prevailing in recent years. Against this background, many temporary produce stands have been set up in urban areas, which are now commonly visited by city dwellers. Focusing on the newly-emerged food distribution system, this study is aimed at clarifying the social significance of such farm stands in a large city, which are run with full support from operators, and to explore their social roles, as well as those of venue administrators and vendors. Among these farm stands, defined as “marches” in this paper, eight marches in Osaka City were picked out as subjects for this study. Based on a hearing survey of operators at the sites, it was found that “marches” hold a great social significance in the following two points: offering opportunities of urban and rural exchanges, and creating new marketing channels from producers to consumers. In addition, it was proven that “marches” are divided into two types: one where the initiative is taken by operators, and the other by venue administrators.

Geospatial Analysis of Neighborhood Characteristics and Access to Fresh Produce

A growing number of studies have shown that adequate spatial access to healthy foods leads to increased fresh produce consumption and reduced risk of chronic diseases. Annual dynamics of spatial access to 1,539 vendors of fresh produce (including farmers markets and roadside farm stands) are analyzed in Massachusetts. Travel distance to the nearest fresh produce vendor was calculated for each census block group using GIS and dasymetric mapping. Spearman's rank order correlation coefficient was calculated to test whether the association between neighborhood characteristics and the travel distance to the nearest vendor existed and if it was statistically significant in urbanized and rural areas. Results show that during summer, median travel distance to the nearest fresh produce vendor decreases 20% in rural areas and 9% in urbanized areas. The shortest travel distances are associated with the most disadvantaged neighborhoods in both rural and urbanized settings. Further research is needed to examine if the same association holds true in other parts in the country.

Weed vegetation ecology of arable land in Salalah, Southern Oman

This paper applies multivariate statistical methods to a data set of weed relevés from arable fields in two different habitat types of coastal and mountainous escarpments in Southern Oman. The objectives were to test the effect of environmental gradients, crop plants and time on weed species composition, to rank the importance of these particular factors, and to describe the patterns of species composition and diversity associated with these factors. Through the application of TWINSPAN, DCA and CCA programs on data relating to 102 species recorded in 28 plots and farms distributed in the study area, six plant communities were identified: I- Dichanthium micranthum, II- Cynodon dactylon–D. micranthum, III- Convolvulus arvensis, IV- C. dactylon–Sonchus oleraceus, V- Amaranthus viridis and VI- Suaeda aegyptiaca–Achyranthes aspera. The ordination process (CCA) provided a sequence of plant communities and species diversity that correlated with some anthropogenic factors, physiographic variables and crop types. Therefore, length of time since farm construction, disturbance levels and altitude are the most important factors related to the occurrence of the species. The perennial species correlated with the more degraded mountain areas of new farm stands, whereas most of the annuals correlated with old lowland and less disturbed farms.

A GIS-based Methodology Toward Refining the Concept of Rural Food Deserts: A Case Study from Rutland County, Vermont

There is generally consensus regarding the methodology used to identify and visualize food deserts in urban centers, and to a lesser extent those in rural communities. The primary factor in food desert mapping, however, is distance to food provider without regard for the nutritional value of the food itself. The purpose of this paper is to offer a broader approach toward refining the food desert concept by incorporating a qualitative ranking of food providers based on the likelihood that they offer healthier food options. We apply this technique to Rutland County in rural Vermont by incorporating traditional grocery stores, supermarkets, big-box stores, general stores, and gas stations, and also including smaller food providers such as farmers' markets, co-ops, farm stands, and community supported agriculture operations. This approach could shift the methodology of identifying food deserts away from just using driving time and distance traveled to food providers meeting a minimum square footage. We propose a methodology that calculates distance to different types of food providers that also evaluates whether consumers have access to healthier food options.

Introduction of farm stands in low-income communities increases fruit and vegetable among community residents

The purpose of this longitudinal pilot study was to measure the impact of introducing farm stands in low-income communities with limited access to fresh and quality fruits and vegetables (F&V) on residents' F&V consumption. Two farm stands were placed outside two local community sites one day a week for 12 weeks. A variety of locally grown, culturally appropriate produce was sold at the stands. Data on F&V intake, awareness and usage of farmers' markets, family behaviors, and importance of eating F&V were collected from individuals (n=61) before and after farm stands were placed in the two communities. Paired sample t-tests, chi-square and McNemar tests were used to evaluate the impact of the intervention on the outcome variables. Significance level was set at p<.05. Significant increases were found for participants' consumption of fruit, fruit juice, tomatoes, green salad, and other vegetables (P<.05). Additionally, participants also reported increases in mediating variables of F&V consumption. This study underscores the potential of farmers' markets to increase F&V consumption through increasing F&V access in low-income communities.