Farmers' markets and the “good food” value chain: a preliminary study

Abstract

Food choices are replete with values about how society produces, processes, distributes, and consumes food. Consumers act upon these value-based food choices on a daily basis by choosing what food to buy, where to buy it, and how much to spend. Among these choices, the increasing visibility of shopping at farmers' markets warrants particular attention. A study of farmers' market customers in British Columbia, Canada provides preliminary insights into the relation between farmers' markets and value-based "good food" choices. Using a convenience sample, we completed 446 interviews with farmers' market customers. Results lend insight into how farmers' markets function as a medium to both frame and act upon value-based food choices. We found that farmers' market customers who shop more often at markets have concepts of "good food" different from people who shop less often at markets. The results also indicate that the importance of shopping at farmers' markets varies among customers.

Irish Chefs and Restaurants in the Geography of “Local” Food Value Chains

“…There is a concern with how nature is "used" rather than "abused" [44,45]. Some of these alternative constructions are reflected in the Slow Food movement, Community Supported Agriculture, and the increasing number of farmers' markets which link consumers more directly with the source of their food [46]. Additionally, the local is also conceived as a site of resistance where small scale producers and consumers contest the placelessness of globalized food production and regain geographic influences [8,17,47].…”

Enhancing Adaptive Capacity in Food Systems: Learning at Farmers' Markets in Sweden

“…The notion of distance is particularly important to local food systems (Allen et al 2003, Sundkvist et al 2005. Greater distance means that more resources are required to produce a calorie of food; that there is no direct relationship between producer and consumer; and that the responsibility for production is separated from consumption (Connell et al 2008). It has been argued that local food systems have the capacity to re-establish positive relationships between producers and consumers and to generate social, economic, and environmental benefits (cf.…”

“…The concept of local food systems attempts to link food and place for consumers and producers (Connell et al 2008). Farmers' markets are an expression of local food systems, and as such they are sites for commercial exchanges and negotiated meaning in the local food landscape .…”

Metropolitan farmers markets in Minneapolis and Vienna: a values-based comparison

“…FMs are socially embedded and reflect changes in consumer preferences and motivation among alternative food movements (Sage 2003;Kirwan 2006;Connell et al 2008). Many FMs specifically advertise that their purpose may involve health, farmer support, community, food and farming education, and sustainability (Byker et al 2012).…”