Survey of Nutrition Programs – Farmers Markets and Direct Marketing Farmers

Help us understand how to expand farmers markets’ participation in Federal nutrition programs. We have selected a sample of farmers markets and direct marketing farmers from the USDA directory of farmers markets and direct marketing farmers to take part in this survey. If you received an invitation in the mail or via email, click on the link below, to start the survey.

About the Study

FNS began working with farmers markets more than 15 years ago to offer food assistance recipients access to fresh, unprepared, and locally grown produce. FNS is conducting a nationally representative study to explore the supply side of farmers markets in order to better understand the characteristics and logistics of farmers markets, and the motivation and challenges of participating in FNS programs.

FNS programs currently available at farmers markets include The Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); WIC Cash Value Voucher (CVV); the Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) and Senior FMNP; and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). FNS is particularly interested in understanding what farmers markets see as the benefits and barriers to redeeming SNAP benefits.

Key study objectives are to:

• Identify the characteristics of SNAP authorized and not SNAP authorized farmers markets (FMs) and direct marketing farmers (DMFs).

• Determine how the characteristics predict participation and lack of participation in SNAP and other FNS programs.

• For SNAP authorized FMs and DMFs, understand the relationship of the characteristics (e.g., system of redemption, volume of redemptions) to the way the program works in that setting.

• Identify connections to other markets, support organizations, and other entities, including sources of funding.

• Identify market operation factors that serve as facilitators or barriers to shopping at FMs for SNAP recipients.

The information to address these objectives will be collected from farmers market managers, direct marketing farmers, and SNAP recipients. A national survey of over 1500 farmers market managers and 400 direct marketing farmers will be offered in three modes -- mail, web, and telephone.

The survey will represent four types of markets and farmers:

1. SNAP authorized and redeemed benefits during the past 12 months;

2. SNAP authorized but did not redeem benefits during the past 12 months;

3. SNAP authorized sometime during the pasts 5 years but not in the past 12 months; and

4. never authorized to redeem SNAP benefits.

The first three groups will be selected from FNS Store Tracking Redemptions Systems (STARS II) database, and the fourth group from the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) directory. In addition, two focus groups will be conducted of about 10 SNAP clients each (one with clients who redeem benefits at farmers markets and one with those who do not) in two farmers markets in the Washington D.C. metro area.

Data collection will run from January through April 2012. Focus groups will be conducted in January and February 2012.

More information

Send technical or operational questions about the FM Nutrition Assistance Survey to FMsurveysupport@westat.com.

Send general questions about the FM Nutrition Assistance Survey to snap-FMstudies@fns.usda.gov .