As the number and scope of farmers market has grown, so too have efforts to document and understand their needs and impacts. Individual markets have conducted Rapid Market Assessments and internal analyses. The WSFMA has collected annual data from its members. Market organizations such as the NFMA have archived critical information. Non-profits have tackled pieces as funds allow. And in 2009, King County produced its first “Farmers Market Report.” Due to these efforts and the collaboration of market managers, there are two new projects to research farmers markets in Washington State.

WSU Small Farms Program Farmers Market Research Projects

Farmers Market Action Team and WSU have a three-year project to research the economic, social and environmental impacts of WA farmers markets and help address barriers to market and farmer success. Funded by the USDA, research includes:

• Market Manager Survey (2010), in progress
• Farmer Focus Groups, 2011
• Farmer Survey, Fall 2011
• Case studies of the Yakima, Okanogan, Bremerton and Broadway Sunday Farmers Markets, ongoing

Please contact Colleen Donovan for information.

The 2010 “WSU Farmers Market Wireless Technology Project” is funded by a WSDA Specialty Crop grant to collect data from the 20 farmers markets enrolled in the state legislature-initiated EBT/credit/debit pilot program and expand the technology to 20 new markets for the 2011 season. Goal is to analyze the cost to benefit ratio of implementing these new technologies. Please contact Rita Ordóñez for information.

Other Research
“How Farmers Markets Can Promote Access to Healthy Food” 709KB PDF, UW Public Health Research Brief

Rapid Market Assessment (RMA) Reports from Pacific Northwest Northwest Direct Farmers Market RMA Reports
OSU Extension’s Small Farms Technical Reports
WSFMA RMA Resources

National Farmers Market Research
USDA ERS National Farmers Market Survey

Agriculture and Food Security Data Sources
USDA ERS “Food Environment Atlas”
USDA NASS, Census of Ag, Washington State

Have a research resource you’d like to add?
Let us know! We’d love to know your ideas on how to make this page more useful to market managers. Please email Steve Evans, King County Ag Program, or call (206) 296-7824.