Survey Provides Insight on Farmers Market Attendees

A recently published national survey of 5,141 U.S. residents conducted by researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Farmers Market Coalition provides new insights into who attends farmers markets, why they go, and what benefits they receive from going. The article, “U.S. farmers market attendance and experiences: Descriptive results from a national survey,” appeared in the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development. The survey revealed that 80% of respondents had attended a farmers market at least once in the prior year, while 42% attended six or more times. Respondents reported that their top motivations for attending included getting fresh, high-quality food, supporting local farmers, and doing something fun. Nearly half (49%) of respondents reported that when they go to the farmers market, they shop at nearby local businesses, and 42% eat at nearby restaurants on market day, providing an additional boost to the local economy.