from the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
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JAFSCD is the world’s only community-supported journal. JAFSCD content is open access (free) thanks to the generous support of our shareholders: the JAFSCD Shareholder Consortium, Library Shareholders, a growing number of Individual Shareholders, and our six JAFSCD Partners: |
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There are over 8,700 farmers markets in the U.S., where some 40,000 farmers sell their products, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These farmers markets provide access to fresh, healthy food, support local farmers and local businesses, and contribute to a sense of community. A recently published national survey of 5,141 U.S. residents conducted by researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Farmers Market Coalition provides new insights into who attends farmers markets, why they go, and what benefits they receive from going. The article, U.S. farmers market attendance and experiences: Descriptive results from a national survey.
KEY FINDINGS
Most respondents (80%) had attended a farmers market at least once in the prior year, demonstrating widespread participation. More specifically, the survey found that 42% attended more frequently (i.e., six or greater times per year), and 39% reported attending farmers markets less frequently (i.e., five or fewer times per year).
Respondents reported that their top motivations for attending included getting fresh, high-quality food, supporting local farmers, and doing something fun. The top challenge to attendance was forgetting about farmers markets, with nearly 60% indicating they forget about farmers markets at a level of “Somewhat” or higher.
More than three-quarters of attendees reported eating healthier at levels of “Somewhat” or higher because of farmers markets. Many respondents reported doing nonconsumer activities at farmers markets, such as socializing and learning, underscoring that farmers markets can be a shared community experience that offers more than economic and health benefits. Generally, farmers markets were attended by people from diverse backgrounds in terms of age, gender and ethnicity. That being said, there were differences (though not substantial) that showed relatively higher attendance levels among individuals who were female, older, white, and had higher household incomes.
Nearly half (49%) of respondents reported that when they go to the farmers market, they shop at nearby local businesses, and 42% eat at nearby restaurants on market day, providing an additional boost to the local economy.
Many markets offer attendees the ability to use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, which help low-income families access nutritious food. Among attendees who participate in SNAP, 72% reported interest in using SNAP benefits at the farmers market at levels of “Somewhat interested” or above. They also indicated strong interest in using other forms of food assistance benefits that are available at some markets, such as matching dollars offered to those using SNAP at the farmers market and using coupons issued by the farmers market or a state agency.
IMPLICATIONS FOR SUPPORTING FARMERS MARKETS
Given disparities in attendance by gender, age, and ethnicity, efforts should be made to communicate about the benefits of attending farmers markets to these groups and create more welcoming environments to attract a diverse range of attendees.
Given that many people at farmers markets shop at nearby businesses and patronize nearby restaurants on market day, market managers should highlight these economic benefits to build community support.
Given the high interest in attending farmers markets by people receiving SNAP benefits, farmers markets should continue efforts to expand on these offerings, market the availability of this option to low-income households, and make SNAP benefits convenient to redeem at the market.
SHARE ON YOUR SOCIALS
New national survey provides insights into farmers market attendance in the U.S. Over 80% of the respondents attended a farmers market at least once per year. Results focus on who attends, why they go, and benefits received. Top motivations are getting fresh, high-quality food, supporting local farmers, and doing something fun. Read the full @JAFSCD article for free: https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2025.141.017
Photo above: The Ithaca (NY) Farmers Market was founded in 1973 and is still going strong. Photo by Amy Christian. |
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SPECIAL JAFSCD SHAREHOLDER SECTION | |
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Building Strong Retail Systems for Local Farmers and Local Food
With about one dozen farm stops now successfully up and running and several more approaching launch, now is the perfect time to gather, learn from one another, share best practices, and envision the role we’d like to see farm stops play in our local food ecosystems.
Whether you operate a farm stop already, or think that you may one day want to open one in your community, our goal is to provide content useful to you as you move forward. With that in mind, we are putting together an ambitious slate of local food thought leaders, and planning a full lineup of panels on everything from fundraising and marketing, to farm relations and merchandising, while also leaving plenty of time for networking.
Speakers and panelists include Philip Ackerman-Leist, John Ikerd (JAFSCD columnist), Kate Krauss, Debra Tropp, Michelle Miller, Kathryn Barr, and many others. |
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The successful candidate will develop and lead externally funded research and extension programs that support and strengthen the viability of the New Jersey agricultural sector and individual farms. Through active engagement with the agricultural community, the Specialist will identify existing and emerging opportunities and needs, conduct applied research to assess what technical assistance and policies would help farmers take advantage of these opportunities, and provide educational outreach in the agricultural community across different scales of operation, commodities, and production systems.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS OR TO APPLY |
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The Department of Agricultural Economics, Rural Sociology, and Education (AESE) at The Pennsylvania State University is seeking candidates for an Extension Program Specialist who will conduct Extension programs, develop enterprise budgets, and create and update publications for the Penn State “Ag Alternative” series. The role includes supporting research projects and offering expert advice on risk management. The candidate will effectively build solid connections with stakeholders and their organizations. This position requires a master’s degree plus three years of relevant experience or equivalent work experience.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS OR TO APPLY |
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SEEKING NEW JAFSCD PARTNERS
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JAFSCD would appreciate your assistance in finding one or more new JAFSCD Partners to support its transformative work — emphasizing accessibility, equity, and engagement, and progressive editorial policies such as triple-rigor* and positionality or reflexivity statements. Other JAFSCD efforts include our Food Policy and Practice Briefs program, Voices of the Grassroots essays, author mentorship programs, and the Indigenous Food Sovereignty Editorial Circle and its new quarterly column. The additional income from additional partners (@ US$10,000 annually) would support these efforts and allow us to bring a new editor-in-chief on board. This is an advantageous time, as we are preparing to migrate JAFSCD to a new peer-review and publishing platform (Scholastica).
We would like additional JAFSCD Partners to join our current prominent partners:
- Food Systems Research Center at The University of Vermont
- Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future
- Kwantlen Polytechnic University's Institute for Sustainable Food Systems
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The Inter-institutional Network for Food, Agriculture and Sustainability (INFAS)
- Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) & the University of North Carolina Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (in a joint partnership)
We’d like to recruit a partner in the Midwest or West Coast of the U.S., as well as one outside of North America. Moreover, we would like to add a national or international nonprofit organization, especially one that represents the interests of less privileged voices.
Please contact Duncan Hilchey if you are engaged with an organization that might be interested in becoming an ongoing JAFSCD Partner. He can provide additional information to share with colleagues or you can share this info sheet.
JAFSCD has great potential to contribute to a better world, and having a talented editor-in-chief is a key to unleashing it. Please help us find one or two new JAFSCD Partners to make this happen.
* Credit for the triple-rigor concept goes to the late Christine Porter of the University of Wyoming; see her 10-minute presentation here.
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