LOCALIZE IT: Customers and vendors who turned to farmers markets during the pandemic remain loyal

Small Business Farmers Market (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS:

Farmers markets across the country provided a place for people to shop outdoors and support local businesses during the pandemic. The new vendors that opened during the pandemic and the people they attracted are sticking with farmers markets, and it’s shaping up to be a strong year. Some shoppers shy away from farmers market vendors because prices are typically higher than at grocery stores due to the labor and small scale involved, even though most farmers markets accept food assistance vouchers. But the inflation of the past two years has brought about a shift. Small vendors ranging from farm stands to dog treat makers say the markets offer them access to customers and a connection to the community.

Here are some tips for covering farmers markets in your area.

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READ AP’S STORY

Farmers markets thrive as customers and vendors who latched on during the pandemic remain loyal

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FIND INFORMATION ON FARMERS MARKETS NEAR YOU

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has a local food directory where farmers markets, food hubs, and on-farm markets can voluntarily list their information. Nearly 7,000 farmers markets are listed there, up from about an estimated 2,000 in 1994, per the the Farmers Market Coalition. You can find the directory here. It’s not a census of farmers markets, but self-reported data. More information can be found in the National Farmers Market Managers Survey, most recently completed in 2019.

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CONSIDER THESE REPORTING AVENUES

— Farmers markets usually have market managers or directors of operations that can be the best source of information. They can also point you to vendors that might be willing to be interviewed. A walk around your local farmers market can be a way to pick up color and reporting possibilities, too.

— Some farmers markets accept food assistance program benefits to help defray the cost of local vegetables and fruits for those who might not be able to afford it otherwise and to address “food deserts.” Check to see the rules and regulations at your local farmers markets.

— Some farmers markets aren’t as straightforward as one might think. Producer-only markets allow only the producers of food and other products to sell at their market. But sometimes that’s poorly enforced, and other markets aren’t producer-only. That means wholesalers and resellers can sell goods at the market too. That can be misleading if shoppers think they’re buying from a farm when they really aren’t. It may be worth checking into whether local farmers markets are producer-only or not.

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CONSIDER THESE QUESTIONS:

For market managers:

— Is traffic up or down and if so how much?

— How does this year compare with pandemic years so far?

For farmers and vendors:

— How long have you been a farmers market vendor?

— Do you sell farm produce or another product? If so, what product?

— How has selling changed since the pandemic, if at all?

— Have rising costs affected you? If so, how?

— Are there any changes you made this year? If so, what are they?

— Have you noticed any changes in shopper behavior this year or last year? If so what are they?

— What are the advantages and disadvantages that you have found with markets?

For shoppers:

— What do you typically come to the farmers market for?

— Were you an active customer prior to the pandemic? If yes, what keeps you coming back? If no, what made you start coming to the farmers market?

— How do you find the prices compare at the farmers market to your regular grocery store?

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Localize It is an occasional feature produced by The Associated Press for its customers’ use. Questions can be directed to Katie Oyan at koyan@ap.org.