IDENTIFYING FARMERS’ MARKET ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE: AN INDIANA CASE STUDY

Nationally, the number of operating farmers’ markets has increased 111% from 1,755 markets in 1994 to 3,706 in 2004 (AMS, 2006). Indiana’s farmers’ markets have increased at double the rate in the same time frame.
Despite the increase in farmers’ markets, little information is known about the structure of these markets in Indiana.
The primary objective is to establish a benchmark of information from Indiana markets by collecting market locations and examining who (e.g., producers, consumers, community revitalization) influences the market’s existence, and determining operational issues that need improvement.
An internet and mail census was sent to market managers to create a benchmark for the organizational structure of Indiana’s farmers’ markets.
All markets sold vegetables and nearly all sold fruit (95.9%). Most markets (over 50%) had public restrooms and hand washing facilities.
A great deal of respondents (70%) stated there was an equal demand and supply of products.
Results show that there is no difference in organizational structure between large and small markets except for insurance and access to utilities, which was an issue for smaller markets.

XVI International Symposium on Horticultural Economics and Management

C. Hofmann, J.H. Dennis, M. Marshall

census, consumers, farmers’ markets, market organizers, vendors

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2009.831.30