Research suggests that the connection between poor diet and obesity among rural residents may be partially explained by limited access to healthy foods including fruits and vegetables (F&V). Based on federal suggestions to improve access, the purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between food shopping habits food venues and dietary intake of residents in rural counties of Kentucky. In May, 2013, a telephone survey was conducted using random-digit dial methods among n=149 participants in all three counties. Results showed that grocery shopping at supermarkets had a moderate positive correlation with F&V intake (r=.357, .348). These findings suggest participants who shop at supermarkets also consume F&V. Our study’s findings did not give a strong correlation between F&V consumption and farmers’ market use, which could be due to the locations of these markets, price of produce, or other environmental barriers that were not looked at in this study. Although the results from our study do not show a correlation, the majority of previous research supports the need to improve farmers’ market locations to help increase accessibility for groups with low F&V consumption and emphasize the importance of addressing economic barriers to food access.

Thesis (Ph.D.(Agricultural Economics))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Abstract in English. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 214-233).

Thesis (M.Arch.)--University of Detroit Mercy, 2008. / "April 28, 2008". Includes bibliographical references (p. 122-123).

The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on March 23, 2010). Thesis advisor: Dr. Craig Palmer. Includes bibliographical references.

In the last few years have farmers' markets in the Czech Republic still greater success. By farmers' markets we are trying to promote local and regional food to get into a deeper level of awareness, and to become more popular. The range is very varied but referring to the range of many legislative regulation, laws, norms and announcements. Farmers' markets are subject to the same legislation as any other food sales. In the dissertation were performed structured interviews with vendors at farmers markets and held a questionnaire survey among customers of farmers' markets and wider community from all over the Czech Republic. In the questionnaire surveys got involved 187 respondents and thanks to this survey were evaluated by the fixed hypothesis. Three out of four.

Diploma thesis on the topic of marketing research farmers markets aims to identify the most important motives that influence buying behavior of consumers who visit farmers markets, as well as those who do not seek out farmers markets on the contrary. The first part is to get familiar with issues from a marketing point of view. Next, I considered it important to clarify to what are principles and rules of farmers' markets and how do they work in general. The practical part of my thesis includes its own investigation dealing with the degree of popularity of farmers' markets for consumers in the Czech Republic. The conclusion gives marketing recommendations based on the analysis of the results of my research and the external observation. The results of my research can serve both for laymen who want to learn more about this topic from a marketing point of view, as well as for all stakeholders in this field.

Objective: Using the Social Determinants of Health as the study's theoretical underpinning, the authors examined the impact of the North Carolina Community Transformation Grant Project farmers' market initiatives on changes in awareness and use of farmers' markets, and fruit and vegetable consumption. Methods: During the farmers' market season, the researchers conducted a random digit-dial telephone survey among residents in 3 rural North Carolina counties to examine changes in farmers' market awareness, shopping, and fruit and vegetable consumption. They examined change over 1 year using t tests, chi-square tests, and propensity score matching. Results: In 1 county there were increases in farmers' market shopping and fruit and vegetable consumption, and in 1 county there were decreases in farmers' market shopping and fruit and vegetable consumption. Conclusions and Implications: The impact of farmers' market initiatives may be affected by county-specific socioeconomic contexts.

Objective Because farmers' markets include a variety of fruits and vegetables, shopping at farmers' markets would likely improve diet quality among low-income consumers, as well as promote sustainable direct farm-to-consumer business models. However, not much is known about how to promote farmers' market shopping among low-income consumers. Therefore, the purpose of the present paper was to examine barriers to and facilitators of shopping at farmers' markets and associations between shopping at farmers' markets and self-reported dietary behaviours (fruit and vegetable, sugar-sweetened beverage and fast-food consumption) and BMI. Design Cross-sectional analyses of associations between farmers' market shopping frequency, awareness of markets, access to markets, dietary behaviours and BMI. Setting Department of Social Services, Pitt County, eastern North Carolina, USA. Subjects Between April and July 2013, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants (n 205) completed a quantitative survey. Results Barriers to shopping at farmers' markets included does not accept SNAP/electronic benefit transfer, out of the way and lack of transportation. Farmers' market shopping was associated with awareness of farmers' markets (estimate =0·18 (se 0·04), P<0·001). Fruit and vegetable consumption was positively associated with farmers' market shopping (estimate =1·06 (se 0·32), P=0·001). Conclusions Our study is one of the first to examine SNAP participants' farmers' market shopping, distance to farmers' markets and dietary behaviours. Barriers to shopping at farmers' markets and increasing awareness of existing markets should be addressed in future interventions to increase SNAP participants' use of farmers' markets, ultimately improving diet quality in this high-risk group.

Objective: To examine the influence of farmers' market pricing and accessibility on willingness to shop at farmers' markets, among low-income women. Design: Qualitative interviews using scenarios with quantitative assessment of willingness to shop at farmers' markets given certain pricing and accessibility scenarios. Setting: Eastern North Carolina. Participants: A total of 37 low-income women of childbearing age (18-44 years) receiving family planning services at the health department. Phenomenon of Interest: Willingness to shop at a farmers' market. Analysis: Fisher's exact test was used to examine associations between willingness to shop at farmers' markets by urban/rural residence, race, and employment status. Direct quotations relevant to participants' use of farmers' markets were extracted based on a positive deviance framework. Results: Participants were increasingly willing to shop at the farmers' market when price savings increased and when the market was incrementally closer to their residence. Willingness was highest when there was at least a 20% price savings. Participants seemed to be influenced more by a visual representation of a greater quantity of produce received with the price savings rather than a quantitative representation of the money saved by the reduced price. Conclusions and Implications: Future farmers' market interventions should take into account these consumer level preferences.

This dissertation analyzed consumer primary motivations for attending farmers' markets, preferences for product features, and differentiated produce. We used consumer survey data collected at farmers' markets in Nevada and Utah during summers of 2008 and 2011, respectively. This dissertation consists of three essays. The first essay employed binary and multinomial logistic models to assess primary consumer motivations for attending farmers' markets. Results indicate that many consumers attend farmers' markets primarily to purchase fresh produce. Other motives such as social interaction, purchasing ready-to-eat food, and buying packaged foods, arts, and crafts were also analyzed. In this first essay, consumers who attended farmers' markets were clustered into three groups based on their similar characteristics. Results from this essay are useful to vendors at farmers' markets for they indicate primary motivations to attend. It also provides guidelines to farmers' markets managers in their efforts to meet attendees' expectations. The second essay used an ordered logistic model to analyze consumer preferences for eight fresh produce features. These features are product variety, quality, appearance, pricing, local, organic, freshness, and knowledge of local growers. Findings show that consumer preferences are strong for product quality, freshness, local and organic production. Policy makers can use results from this essay to provide necessary assistance to farmers to feature their products based on consumers' preferences. Health-related policy makers can use the results to implement programs aimed at increasing fresh produce consumption. The last essay used a multinomial logistic, conditional and ordinary least squares models to respectively investigate consumer preferences for differentiated fresh produce, willingness to pay, and stated demands for green peppers, cucumbers, and yellow squash. Comparison between preferences before and those after information about production and place of production was also done. Results demonstrate that consumer willingness to pay and the probability of purchasing each of the three products grown conventionally in Utah overweight those for either organically or conventionally grown of unknown origin. This essay provides information pertaining to produce differentiation through labels. The information has significant impact on preferences for conventionally grown local produce and negative effect on conventionally grown fresh produce of unknown origin. Green peppers, cucumbers, and yellow squash are ordinary goods with inelastic stated demands. Produce growers can use results from this essay to adopt production practices to meet consumer preferences. Results are useful to policy makers in enforcing local and organic certification regulations. They can also be used for pricing and marketing strategies.