The Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP), piloted in Oregon in
2001, provided $100 worth of vouchers (aka coupons) to low-income seniors to buy fresh
local produce from farmers at farmers' markets and roadside stands. Presented in a
political ecology framework, this research integrated the perspectives of beneficiaries and
their communities into a program evaluation. Convenience interviews of participants at
farmers' markets around Oregon revealed significant economic, social and nutritional
benefits resulting from the program. Findings also revealed areas of contention for some
seniors: produce prices, transportation barriers, and lack of awareness of local
agriculture. Reimbursement delays, policing of coupon-users and lack of information
caused frustrations for farmers. Generally, farmers were appreciative of seniors as
customers, and of the program for enabling farmers and their market to perform a social
good; strengthening the community-building role of the farmers' market, providing a
social activity for seniors and their support network, creating new relationships between
the community and farmers, and enabling seniors to participate in the market experience
and farmers to provide fresh produce that enhanced seniors' nutritional intake. Overall,
SFMNP achieved its objectives in supporting low-income seniors, farmers and farm-direct
marketing, and was an appealing program for seniors and farmers. / Graduation date: 2004
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/28650 |
| Date | 19 November 2003 |
| Creators | Saylor, Kirsten N. |
| Contributors | Stephenson, Garry O. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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