“It's Not an ‘If You Build It They Will Come' Type of Scenario”: Stakeholder Perspectives on Farmers' Markets as a Policy Solution to Food Access in Low-Income Neighborhoods

Abstract

As national and local policies promote farmers' markets (FMs) in underserved communities, it is important to understand stakeholder perspectives. Through in-depth interviews, this study describes the views of 22 stakeholders in Pennsylvania about FMs as a solution to food access in low-income areas. We found that stakeholders view FMs as a promising public health nutrition intervention, as a political symbol of commitment to local food systems, and as an economic engine to support farmers and community development. Tensions emerge where these roles conflict: (1) FMs must be profitable while providing affordable foods to low-income customers; (2) FMs require careful planning to succeed; and (3) though politicians may seek a “silver bullet” solution, FMs are just one part of a comprehensive strategy to promote food access and economic revitalization in underserved neighborhoods.

Keywords:

• farmers' markets
• food access
• low-income
• food policy

Notes

At the time of the study, Dr. Buttenheim and Dr. Gollust were program scholars with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholars Program at the University of Pennsylvania, which funded this work. The authors thank Allison Karpyn, The Food Trust, and the site directors and scholars of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholars Program at the University of Pennsylvania for assistance with this study.