Evaluating the South Memphis Farmers Market as a Strategy To Improve Access to Healthy Foods: Lessons from 2011

Systematic Review of Factors Influencing Farmers’ Market Use Overall and among Low-Income Populations

“…Prices at markets were more frequently cited as being fair and a good value. 33,35,48,[51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61] In contrast, six studies found prices at farmers' markets to be too high or not competitive with other food stores. 33,51,52,58,60,62 The ability to use food assistance benefits, such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, facilitated the use of farmers' markets.…”

“…33,51,52,58,60,62 The ability to use food assistance benefits, such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, facilitated the use of farmers' markets. 54,63 In contrast, not accepting food assistance benefits was a barrier. 51,52,54,55,60,63 In addition, the acceptance of cash-only for payments at markets was a barrier to use.…”

“…54,63 In contrast, not accepting food assistance benefits was a barrier. 51,52,54,55,60,63 In addition, the acceptance of cash-only for payments at markets was a barrier to use. 51,60 Economic facilitators to farmers' market use that were identified less frequently included the informality of the economic space that allowed for bartering and deal-making 62 and the availability of discounts, incentive, and coupon programs to augment food prices.…”

Where Urban Residents Shop for Produce

“…The finding indicates that farmers' markets are not places where only high-income residents or those with more education want to shop, but rather serve as an attractive place for residents of all backgrounds to purchase food. As other research has noted, this broad-based appeal is critical to the sustainability of farmers' markets over the long term (Hicks & Lambert-Pennington, 2014).…”

Class Conscious, Color‐Blind: Examining the Dynamics of Food Access and the Justice Potential of Farmers Markets

“…The farmers market in South Memphis hosted between four and eight vendors and, as indicated by our research team's 2011 End‐of‐Season survey, has an almost exclusively African‐American (97 percent) and low‐income shopper base (59 percent have a monthly income of <$1,200). The market's patrons are also more likely to be middle‐aged or older (mean age 51, range 20–78), female (63 percent), and residents of the neighborhood (73 percent) (Hicks and Lambert‐Pennington ).…”