Study Shows That Farmers' Markets Provide Good Market Conditions for Both Producers and Consumers

Direct marketing of agricultural products allows consumers to purchase competitively priced, high-quality fresh produce, while farmers view direct marketing as an alternative way to capture more of the consumers' dollar. A survey of direct marketing consumers was conducted in 1997 to document their trends, preferences, and characteristics. Overall, consumers had increased the quantity and variety of fresh fruits and vegetables consumed compared to 5 years earlier. The typical consumer spent $16 per visit, and the majority attended between two to four different farmers' markets in 1996. On average, consumers ranked quality of products and employee attitude as very good, while appearance of facility, convenience of location, variety of products, cleanliness of facility, parking, and prices received an average rating of good to very good. Parking and prices were the characteristics with the lowest scores. Furthermore, nearly all respondents intended to visit farmers' markets in the future. In general, consumers tended to agree that freshness and direct contact with farmers were the main factors that drove people to farmers' markets. One important finding is that 98.5% of consumers expected higher quality of produce at farmers' markets compared to that at other retail facilities.

Read the whole study conducted by researchers at Rutgers University by clicking here.

Residents of East Palo Alto Ask For Your Help in Establishing Their Own Farmers' Market

Saree Mading, resident of East Palo Alto, Board Member of Collective Roots, and Administrator at East Palo Alto Charter School, has written an amazing letter about the initiative to develop the East Palo Alto Community Farmers’ Market. If you have a few minutes, please click here to view this inspiring letter. We are hoping that once you have read Saree’s letter and reviewed other information on this website, you will be inspired to make a donation to Collective Roots that will support the start up of this community based effort.

Nearly 40% of our budget is contributed in-kind. This means that every dollar you give is matched with the generosity of others that stretches precious resources even further. We offer a variety of ways for donors to make a contribution. We can mail you a letter (the old-fashioned way) with a remit envelope, or you can simply click here to make a tax-deductible donation online. Our online donation form is easy to use and only takes a couple of minutes. You may designate that your contribution serve the specific purpose of supporting the EPA Community Farmers' Market.

Please use the "donate now" button on the left hand side of this page, or you may click here. On the Donate Now page where it refers to "Focused Giving," you may select "Farmers' Market in EPA" and we will designate your donation for this specific purpose.