Mobile Farmers Research Articles

“The Dollar Store Got It Going On”: Understanding Food Shopping Patterns and Policy Preferences among Dollar Store Shoppers with Low Incomes

BackgroundThe growing dollar store sector has raised concerns about nutrition and associated health outcomes, especially for low-income communities who disproportionately rely on dollar stores. Perspectives of dollar store shoppers are largely absent. ObjectiveThis study aimed to understand why low-income shoppers choose to purchase food from dollar stores and what store changes, policies, and programs would make it easier for them to purchase healthier items. MethodsIn May–June 2023, we conducted interviews with 19 dollar store shoppers in an urban county in North Carolina. We used thematic analysis and the framework method to identify emergent patterns and themes across responses. ResultsIndividuals relied on dollar stores because of the affordable prices and convenient locations. In order of frequency, most participants purchased candy and snacks from dollar stores, followed by meat, fruits, and vegetables. Participants wanted more fruits, vegetables, and higher quality proteins at dollar stores and supported policies that increase access to healthier options via increased purchasing power, increased access to a mobile farmers’ market, marketing that identifies nutritionally healthy products, and improved access to other store types. Responses to removing unhealthy items from checkout areas were mixed. ConclusionsDollar stores are affordable and convenient food retailers for people with low incomes. However, dollar stores are not meeting demand for fruits, vegetables, and proteins, items necessary for food and nutrition security. To improve food access and community health, decision makers should incorporate community perspectives into efforts aimed at improving dollar store food options.

A Group-Based, Six-Lesson Healthy Eating Curriculum for Individuals With Serious Mental Illnesses: Development and Implementation.

As part of an intervention tailored to individuals with serious mental illnesses in residential settings that aimed to increase dietary intake of fresh vegetables and fruits, we developed and implemented a nutrition and cooking curriculum. To develop the curriculum, we assembled a Workgroup that consisted of professionals from multiple fields. The Workgroup held weekly discussions before drafting what would become the Workbook. Residential staff at partnering housing agencies taught the curriculum to residents. The curriculum Workbook contains six lessons, which are organized around two field trips to a mobile farmers market and a grocery store, and four cooking methods. The Workbook also includes instructions on using FreshConnect Checks at mobile farmers markets. The new curriculum distinguishes itself from other nutrition and culinary literacy curricula in that it delivers knowledge about fresh produce and skills in preparing fruits and vegetables in a way that is tailored to individuals with serious mental illnesses.

Rethinking the political economy of rural struggles in Turkey: Space, structures, and altered agencies

AbstractBy focusing on recent water struggles in rural Turkey against run‐of‐the‐river hydropower plants (SHPs), the research delves into the societal and economic factors that enable or inhibit the emergence of strong mobilizations through a comparison of four localities of the Eastern Black Sea region. The main aim of the cross comparison is to determine whether there is a relationship between the forms of rural livelihood (and class position) and political mobilization against SHP construction. The article offers a multilayered relational framework to analyse rural mobilizations. Through a comparative spatial analysis of material and immaterial territories, I argue that the spatio‐economic transformation of the localities that unevenly transform rural settings in terms of production and consumption activities have an impact on the patterns, discourses, and agency in contemporary “rural” mobilizations. This is especially observable with regard to upward mobility and the middle‐classization processes embedded in crop system and household accumulation opportunities. The children of upwardly mobile farmers who became city‐based middle‐class actors tend to present an estheticized and carnivalesque framing in their resistance strategies through the re‐invention of traditions and culture, whereas the lower‐class peasants voice their grievances based strictly on material concerns.

How Southeastern North Carolina is Building More Resilient Food Systems after COVID-19

First paragraphs: Feast Down East is a regional nonprofit dedi­cated to creating a healthy, accessible local food system that supports economic growth in southeastern North Carolina. We began as The Southeastern North Carolina Food Systems Pro­gram at the University of North Carolina Wilming­ton (UNCW), founded by Leslie Hossfeld and Rev. Mac Legerton, to address poverty and high job loss in the Southeastern North Carolina region—one of the three major areas of poverty in the state. Now known as Feast Down East, our nonprofit has developed a vast network of partnerships with both private and public agencies in 11 counties.  Today, three main programs make up the heart of our organization: farmer support, produce distri­bution, and the Local Motive Mobile Farmers Market. Each of these programs is essential to our nonprofit’s overall mission. We support local farm­ers by connecting them with educational opportu­nities and technical services through either our organization or others in our statewide network. We also work with farmers to promote local food and their products through marketing tactics and consumer education. Alongside these efforts, Feast Down East helps farmers distribute their products through our food hub, providing farmers with reduced distribution costs and added income. To encourage new farmers, we have an Emerging Farmers program, which provides classes to a cohort of new farmers to help them successfully expand their farm businesses. . . .

Impact de la sédentarisation des éleveurs sur la production bovine au nord du Bénin

Deux principaux systèmes d’élevage bovin cohabitent dans le bassin de la Donga au nord du Bénin : l’élevage semi-sédentaire et l’élevage mobile. Ce bassin, situé dans la zone agroécologique subhumide de l’Afrique de l’Ouest, a subi ces dernières décennies deux changements majeurs : a) une augmentation des besoins en produits animaux et b) l’expansion des terres cultivées qui entraîne une diminution de l’accès aux ressources fourragères et à l’eau, une plus grande mobilité des troupeaux, et des conflits plus fréquents entre cultivateurs et éleveurs mobiles. Face à ces contraintes, les pouvoirs publics privilégient la sédentarisation des éleveurs mobiles. L’élevage mobile étant pourvoyeur de jeunes animaux aux élevages semi-sédentaires, la dynamique de sédentarisation crée une incertitude quant à l’approvisionnement de la région en bétail bovin et en viande par un élevage semi-sédentaire qui deviendrait largement majoritaire. Pour appréhender la question de besoins croissants en produits animaux, la production de bétail a été simulée afin d’évaluer l’effet d’une incitation des pouvoirs publics à la sédentarisation des éleveurs mobiles. Les productivités numérique et en viande ont été simulées sous différentes hypothèses d’amélioration des performances zootechniques des élevages semi-sédentaires. L’ensemble des scénarios ont été construits à partir de l’hypothèse de l’augmentation du cheptel semi-sédentaire directement liée à la sédentarisation d’une partie des éleveurs mobiles. Une simulation obtenue à l’aide du modèle de projection démographique Dynmod suggère que la sédentarisation des éleveurs mobiles romprait la complémentarité locale entre les systèmes d’élevage et conduirait à une perte de production de viande. En outre, aucun des scénarios d’amélioration explorés ne suffirait à compenser la perte de production de viande résultant de la politique de sédentarisation. Pour maintenir la production de viande bovine par les éleveurs semi-sédentaires il faudrait développer les liens commerciaux régionaux avec les élevages des pays sahéliens.

P27 Fruit and Vegetable Recipes Promoted at a Mobile Farmers’ Market in a Food Desert in the District of Columbia Ward 8

Background Nutritional-related diseases such as hypertension and diabetes continue unabated in the District of Columbia Ward 8 whose residents are primarily African Americans. Wards are administrative divisions with approximately 75,000 persons. The District of Columbia Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Annual Health Report confirmed that fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption were low among African Americans, especially in Ward 8 (Anderson-Morgan, Fett, Jasso, Moten, & Harrison, 2018) May - November 2018 a mobile Farmers’ Market was located at the Bellevue Library to provide the residents with access to fresh FV. Recipe tastings and demonstrations were included to demonstrate the ease of preparing produce that was purchased from the Farmers’ Market. Six recipes were introduced: pasta veggie salad; 3-bean salad; radish tomato salsa; summer squash salad; tangy savory slaw, and mint citrus water. Data was collected to determine whether residents planned to prepare these recipes at home. Objective Three main objectives of this research were: a) determine the frequency of consumption of FV; b) determine the ease of recipe preparation, and c) determine improvement in the health and nutritional status of the residents. Study Design, Settings, Participants A five-question survey was administered to 152 attendees at the Famers’ Market located in Ward 8. Results for question two are included here “After tasting this recipe, do you plan to make it at home?” Measurable Outcome/Analysis Attendees who tasted recipes during this six-week period, 93% planned to make these recipes at home. Results The results of attendees showed that 93% said yes, 5% said no, 2% did not respond, and 1% said maybe. Conclusion Nutrition-education and recipes that are tasty and easy to make are key steps in changing behaviors of residents who are at high risk of nutritional-related diseases.

The Veggie Van: Customer characteristics, fruit and vegetable consumption, and barriers to healthy eating among shoppers at a mobile farmers market in the United States

ObjectiveMobile farmers markets may improve local food environments by increasing access to healthy food, yet research is limited. The purpose of this study was to describe customer characteristics and barriers to healthy eating among customers at a mobile farmers market called the Veggie Van. DesignIn 2016, a customer intercept design was used to survey English-speaking Veggie Van customers (n = 192; 70.5% survey response rate) aged ≥18 years on sociodemographic and health characteristics, normal daily consumption of fruit and vegetables (F/V) using the Health Information National Trends Survey screener, food acquisition and purchasing habits, and potential barriers to healthy eating. We compared customers to service area neighborhood residents. Within customers, we compared first-time and repeat customers, and those with low and high F/V consumption. ResultsVeggie Van customers were more likely to identify as non-Hispanic white and have a bachelor's degree than neighborhood residents. Participants were mostly female (76.0%) and non-Hispanic white (53.7%). Approximately half (45.0%) were first-time customers and many (41.7%) did not meet F/V consumption recommendations. In the total sample, cost was the most frequently reported barrier to healthy eating. Among repeat customers, those with low F/V consumption were more likely to report cost as a barrier than those with high F/V consumption (p = 0.02). Only 8.9% reported no transportation to buy healthy food. ConclusionsVeggie Van customers may not represent neighborhood residents. Although few participants met F/V recommendations, most had transportation to buy healthy food. Mobile markets have lower overhead costs and greater flexibility than traditional stores and can address geo-spatial barriers to food access, but should ensure that they are serving target customers.

The Influence of Social Capital on Farm Household’s Borrowing Behavior in Rural China

This paper evaluates whether social capital affects the ability of farm households to obtain formal and informal loans. We test for the impact of two measures of social capital. The first measure, kinship, captures the traditional aspects of bonding social capital in rural areas that might affect the probability of getting informal loans. As the economic reforms in China have changed the traditional rural way of life and weakened the role of kinship, more mobile farmers are likely to develop a different kind of social capital also based in the Chinese tradition but not focused exclusively on kin. This friendship social capital is hypothesized to affect farmers’ ability to get both formal and informal loans. We use the Chinese Household Finance Survey data from 2013 and estimate the probability of obtaining credit, while also accounting for the reverse causality. In addition, we use the Heckman selection model to establish how social capital affects not only the probability of getting loans but also the size of the loan. Empirical results suggest that social capital affects borrowing by farm households. In particular, the friendship social capital has a positive effect on farm household’s ability to get formal loans, and has a substitution effect on informal borrowing, while kinship has a positive effect on farm households’ ability to get informal loans. Friendship and kinship are positively associated with the amount of a farm household’s formal and informal loans, respectively.

Using a Customer Intercept Survey at a Mobile Farmers Market to Evaluate Consumer Behaviors and Perceptions

Using a Customer Intercept Survey at a Mobile Farmers Market to Evaluate Consumer Behaviors and Perceptions

Environmental Barriers to Healthful Dietary and Physical Activity Behaviors in the EFNEP Participant Population

Direct education programs, including the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), target personal barriers to enable behavior change. However, an opportunity exists to pursue a holistic policy, systems, and environment approach by targeting some environmental barriers (limited availability, high cost, safety, lack of transportation, and challenges caused by poor weather). The Western Regional Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Center of Excellence initiated a study to gather perspectives of EFNEP paraprofessional educators on how environmental barriers affect EFNEP participants and environmental changes which could be made to encourage more healthful participant behaviors. Ten telephone focus groups were held with fifty EFNEP educators from ten states during April and May of 2016. Focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed, and independently coded by two reviewers to identify recurring themes. Educators provided valuable anecdotal evidence regarding environmental barriers and generated potential solutions for specific barriers based on examples from their communities. For example, potential solutions to the availability barrier include creating mobile farmers’ markets, partnering with volunteer groups to provide free food delivery from food banks or retailers to areas with limited access, working with alternative retailers to offer produce in urban areas, providing seeds to encourage home gardening, or facilitating development of or participation in community gardens. Results will guide additional research and inform development of environmental support activities for direct education programs reaching low-income participants. Activities will aim to empower participants to change environmental barriers in their micro-environments.

Alternate Food Markets, NGOs, and Health Policy: Improving Food Access and Food Security, Trust Bonds, and Social Network Ties

Limited access to healthy foods in low-income areas is well documented as part of “the new hunger” in the United States. Characterized by easy access to nutrient-poor processed food and blocked access to foods that secure dietary health and sustain well-being, “the new hunger” has been linked in public health and social science literature to obesogenic environments, defined as both food and built environments that promote obesity. The paper examines how non-governmental organizations work within distinct policy ecologies to improve food access and food security and promote community health, focusing on one high-impact Mobile Farmers’ Market Program that was successful in building community infrastructure to promote dietary health and improve food security at the community level through improved food access. We offer this case study of a NGO–community collaboration to better understand the role of formal and informal social networks between NGO actors and different community stakeholders, including market customers, in communicating and realizing city policy goals and positive program interventions in support of community health.

The Suitable Conditions for Mobile Farmers’ Markets in Urban Agriculture

The Suitable Conditions for Mobile Farmers’ Markets in Urban Agriculture

A Community Engagement Case Study of the Somerville Mobile Farmers' Market

The Somerville Mobile Farmers' Market, a food access initiative in Somerville, Massachusetts, is an example of community-municipality collaboration and a testament to the importance of community engagement, justice, and respect in the creation of a culturally relevant program. Traditional farmers' markets have been exclusive spaces catering to the white and elite, but through a community engagement process, The Somerville Mobile Farmers' Market has come to represent the immigrant-rich community in Somerville and increase food access in a culturally appropriate way.

A mobile farmers’ market brings nutrition education to low-income students

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of a nutrition-education intervention delivered at low-income middle schools in Washington, DC in the USA, using a mobile farmers’ market to bring hands-on lessons to schools. The program was a partnership between a local farm and university and was funded by the United States Department for Agriculture (USDA) Team Nutrition grant. Design/methodology/approach – Seven low-income middle schools received the intervention, which included 45-minute lessons focussed on nutrition education and sustainable farming concepts. The farmers’ market was delivered via a converted school bus, allowing for full market setup at each school to provide local fruits and vegetables as teaching tools. The nutrition-education lesson focussed on the USDA MyPlate and healthy meal planning. The farm education component focussed on organic farming principles, sustainability of local food systems, and seasonality. A six question pre- and post-survey was administered to 408 participating middle school students to assess changes in knowledge. Findings – Overall, average scores increased from 51 to 58 percent. Nutrition knowledge questions increased from 58 to 74 percent, while agriculture questions remained constant at 43 percent. Both increases significant using a two-sample t-test (p<0.001). This suggests that students gained more nutrition education concepts in this format as compared to the agricultural concepts. Originality/value – Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic that affects low-income communities disproportionally. Innovative strategies must be implemented to increase healthy food consumption. This case study presents such an approach and its value in increasing student knowledge of healthy behavior.

Designing a Mobile Farmers Market to Meet Low-Income Consumer Preferences and Needs

Designing a Mobile Farmers Market to Meet Low-Income Consumer Preferences and Needs

Mobile Farmers: An Ethnoarchaeological Approach to Settlement Organization among the Rarámuri of Northwestern Mexico. Martha Graham

Previous articleNext article No AccessBook Reviews Mobile Farmers: An Ethnoarchaeological Approach to Settlement Organization among the Rarámuri of Northwestern Mexico . Martha Graham Carroll L. RileyCarroll L. Riley Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Journal of Anthropological Research Volume 52, Number 1Spring, 1996 Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/jar.52.1.3630244 Views: 2Total views on this site Copyright 1996 The University of New MexicoPDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.