1. 1
Assessing the Impact of
Farmers’ Markets
Mentor: Alison Buttenheim, Ph.D
Gabriela Abrishamian-Garcia

2. Overview
2
 Farmers’ Market Impact Study
 Goals
 Methods
 Preliminary results
 My role

3. Farmers’ Market Impact Study
3
 Robert Wood Johnson Health & Society Scholars
Pilot Grant Program
 Impact evaluation study of a new farmers’ market in
Hunting Park neighborhood
 Address question of whether farmers’ markets lead
to higher fruit and vegetable intake

4. Significance
4
 Farmers’ markets as solution to lack of
access to healthy foods
 President Obama’s $400 million
Healthy Food Financing Initiative
 Gap in research
http://africa.ibtimes.com/articles/183847/20110720/michelle-obama-
walmart-bring-healthy-food-to-food-desert.htm

5. Aims
5
 Assess the impact of a new farmers’ market in a
low-income neighborhood
 Food shopping patterns
 Dietary intake
 Nutrition benefits
 Assess feasibility of “scaling up”
 Sample refreshment
 Sample retention

6. Methods
6
 Measure impact with pre-post design
 Wave 1: July 2010 (n=80)
 Wave 2: October 2010 (n=79)
 Wave 3: July 2011
 Wave 4: Fall 2011
 Conduct community-based participatory research

7. Wave 1 & 2 Results
7
 Low fruit and vegetable intake
 Minimal awareness of and use of
farmers’ markets
 High rates of WIC and SNAP
participation

8. Wave 1 & 2 Overview
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9. Wave 1 & 2 Diet Results
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10. Wave 1 & 2 Food Shopping Habits
10

11. Wave 2 Farmers’ Market Use Results
11

12. My Role in Wave 3
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 Compile sample retention materials
 Conduct interviews
 Modify Farmers’ Market Metrics Field Guide

13. Sample Retention
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 Reply cards
 108 sent
 4.6% returned to sender
 27% received
 Text reminders
 Results
 14% replied and completed
 53% completed on requested
date

14. Changes to Wave 3 Survey
14
 Awareness of Hunting Park opening
 Shopping patterns at Reading Terminal Market
 Nutrition benefit use at Reading Terminal Market
http://www.slashfood.com/2008/08/01/feast-your-eyes-fresh-produce-at-reading-terminal-market/

15. The survey
15

16. Interviews in Hunting Park
16

17. Wave 3 Preliminary Findings
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Participant Response Before and After  40 interviews completed
Hunting Park Market Opening
70% Wave 2 (n=79)  53% know nearest farmers’ market
60% Wave 3 (n=40) location
50%
 28% shop at a farmers’ market
40%
30%  58% aware of Hunting Park opening
20%
10%  Inner circle: 89% aware of Hunting
Park opening
0%
Shop at a Farmers' Know Nearest
Market Farmers' Market

18. Hunting Park Farmers’ Market
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19. Farmers’ Market Metrics Field Guide
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 For The Food Trust
 Comprehensive guide
to gathering data at
farmers’ markets

20. Lessons Learned
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 Complex array of factors affecting food shopping
and consumption
 Community-based participatory research
 How to present survey data effectively

21. Special Thanks
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 Dr. Alison Buttenheim
 Tiffany Thurman and Action Harvest
 Melissa Kulynych
 The Food Trust
 Lissy Madden
 Joanne Levy

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Questions/Comments?