142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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Facilitators and Barriers for Direct Marketing Farmers and Farmers Markets to Participating in SNAP: Findings from the Farmers Market Operations Study

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Monday, November 17, 2014 : 12:30 PM - 12:50 PM

Sujata Dixit-Joshi, PhD, MPH , Health Studies, Westat, Rockville, MD
John Burke, Ph.D. , Statistics, Westat, Rockville, MD
Barnali Das, Ph.D. , Statistics, Westat, Rockville, MD
Eric Sean Williams, Ph.D. , SNAP Research and Analysis Division, USDA, Food and Nutrition Service, Alexandria, VA
Audio (mp3) recording Recorded Presentation (mp4)
Introduction:  The United States Department of Agriculture is seeking innovative ways to increase Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants’ access to fresh produce by increasing the number of farmers markets and direct marketing farmers authorized to accept SNAP benefits. While the transition from paper vouchers to electronic benefits system (EBT) led to a decline in the number of farmers markets that accepted SNAP, USDA efforts to expand EBT capacity at farmers market resulted in a steady growth in SNAP acceptance at farmers markets. The Farmers Market Operations Study investigated perceived benefits and barriers to accepting SNAP at farmers markets and by direct marketing farmers among markets that were currently authorized, had prior but not current authorization, or were never authorized to accept SNAP.

 Approach: A national survey was conducted between January and May 2012 involving approximately 1,600 farmers markets and 570 direct marketing famers.  Participants provided details regarding market operational characteristics and facilitators and barriers to accepting SNAP.

 Results: Findings related to awareness of SNAP participation, and facilitators and barriers to SNAP participation will be presented.

 Discussion: Understanding the facilitators and barriers for farmers markets and direct marketing farmers to participating in SNAP will enable policymakers to identify solutions and develop initiatives to encourage greater participation of farmers markets and direct marketing farmers in SNAP.

Learning Areas:

Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Program planning
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Identify barriers to SNAP participation reported by farmers market managers and direct marketing farmers. Discuss strategies used by farmers markets and direct marketing farmers to advertise SNAP acceptance at farmers markets.

Keyword(s): Nutrition, Public Health Infrastructure

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have served as a project director for several federally funded projects examining the federal nutrition assistance programs, including the Farmers Market Operations Study. I am interested in reserach leading to the development of programs and policies to improve the nutritional status of low income families.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3247.1: Supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) at Farmers Markets