Evaluating the Factors Influencing the Number of Visits to Farmers’ Markets

Are Consumer Health Concerns Influencing Direct-From-Producer Purchasing Decisions?

“…2 In addition, whether respondents were concerned about the price of food, the distance it travels from where it is produced to where it is sold, and the amount of pesticide residue on food was elicited. Abello et al (2014) found a negative effect of the distance to a farmers' market on consumer visits to such markets. To capture this effect, data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service (2014) were used to determine the number of farmers' markets within 5 miles of each respondent's zip code.…”

Vendor Variety and Market Sales: A Case Study of the Williamsburg Farmers Market

“…Consumers are searching for other intangible experiences at farmers markets, which include interacting directly with farmers (Printezis & Grebitus, 2018). There are a number of studies that discuss leisure and recreation as a primary motivation for attending farmers markets (Abelló, Palma, Waller, & Anderson, 2014;Farmer, Chancellor, Gooding, Shubowitz, & Bryant, 2011;Farmer, Chancellor, Robinson, West, & Weddell, 2014). Specifically, customers are motivated by a varying and complex set of factors, which include access to fresh and healthy food, an interest in supporting local agriculture, social appeal, convenience, location, atmosphere, and prices (Byker, Shanks, Misyak, & Serrano, 2012;Detre, Mark, & Clark, 2010;Dodds et al, 2014).…”

Who Buys Food Directly from Producers in the Southeastern United States?

“…Previous studies have found that decisions whether to purchase local food products are a function of education, marital status, age, household characteristics, and travel distance (Wolf, Spittler, and Ahern 2005;Abello, et. al 2012), as well as the (in)convenience inherent in finding local foods to purchase (Wolf, Spittler, and Ahern 2005).…”

“…Conflicting relationships between key demographic factors such as income, education, and gender have been reported. For example, Brown (2003) and Govindasamy, Italia, and Adelaja (2002) found the average buyer of local foods to be a college educated female with above average income whereas Kolodinsky and Pelch (1999), Abello et al (2012) and Onianwa, Wheelock, and Mojica (2005) found that income did not affect purchasing of local foods. The effects of educational achievement are also debated between different studies (e.g.…”

“…The effects of educational achievement are also debated between different studies (e.g. Abello et al 2012;Zepeda and Li 2006).…”