Demographics & Attitudes of Shoppers at Missouri &

Wisconsin Farmers MarketsPatience Rhodes

Dr. Michael Seipel, mentor

Truman State University

Ronald E. McNair Program

Introduction

• Number of farmers markets in the U.S. has increased to 3,100 (in 2002).

• Federal and state agencies encourage growth of farmers markets.

• Increase of farmers markets has prompted research.

Literature Review

• Several studies found that the average shoppers were Caucasian women, from higher income groups, at least 51 years old, and well educated (Eastwood; Kezis; Nayga).

• Freshness, quality, locally grown, and having direct contact with farmers were found to be the most important considerations for consumers when purchasing produce (Brown; Kezis; Nayga).

Literature Review (cont.)• Brown found that households where someone was

raised on a farm, or their parents were raised on a farm, were found to have a preference for local produce and a willingness to pay a price premium for those products.

• Few studies have explicitly compared motivations of shoppers across markets situated in neighborhoods of different socio-economic background.

Research Questions

• How do the demographics of the shoppers compare to the demographics of the surrounding neighborhoods?

• Is there any relationship between people who were raised on the farm and their likelihood of supporting local farmers?

Research Questions (cont.)

• Does motivation for shopping and factors cited in purchasing in a farmers market vary across market location?

• Does motivation for shopping in a farmers market vary across socio-economic characteristics such as race, ethnicity, and income?

Methodology• Four farmers markets

– Fondy Farmers Market (Milwaukee, WI)– Green Bay Farmers Market (Green Bay, WI)– Kirkwood Farmers Market (Kirkwood, MO)– Soulard Farmers Market (St. Louis, MO)

• Convenience sampling – 50 participants per market

Methodology (cont.)

• Questionnaire – How often do you shop at this particular market?– How far do you have to travel to get to the farmers market?– How would you define “locally-produced” fruits and

vegetables?– Has your consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables

increased or decreased since you have been shopping at the farmers market?

– Were you or your parents raised on a farm?

Methodology (cont.)

• Statistical analysis (SPSS) – Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)

– Chi-square tests

• Qualitative analysis – Responses to open ended questions

Wisconsin Farmers Market

Green Bay Farmers Market Fondy Farmers Market

Missouri Farmers Market

Kirkwood Farmers Market Soulard Farmers Market

Findings• 200 completed surveys

• Basic demographics– 66% female– Average age: 47 years old– 68% Caucasian– 50% reported household income $25,000 - $74,999.– 50% reported educational attainment of a 4 year college

degree or higher.

How do the demographics of the shoppers compare to the demographics of the

surrounding neighborhoods?

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Market Census Tract Market Census Tract Market Census Tract Market Census Tract

Soulard Kirkwood Green Bay Fondy

Pct. Non-white

Pct. White

Distribution by Race: Shoppers vs. Residents of Surrounding Census Tract

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

M arket Census Tract M arket Census Tract M arket Census Tract M arket Census Tract

Soulard Kirkwood Green Bay Fondy

Percent with $75,000 or higher household income

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

Market Census Tract Market Census Tract Market Census Tract Market Census Tract

Soulard Kirkwood Green Bay Fondy

Percent with 2-yr., 4-yr. or graduate degree

Is there any relationship between people who were raised on the farm and their likelihood of supporting local farmers?

Percent of respondents raised on a farm, by market

28% 28%

42%

47%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Soulard Kirkwood Green Bay Fondy

Farm Non-farm sig. of TPrice 3.48 3.39 0.335Convenience 3.68 3.28 1.661Atmosphere of market 3.39 3.04 1.439Support local famers 2.92 2.85 0.252Quality/freshness 2.11 2.19 -0.327

Mean Ranking of Purchasing Factors and T-test results

Does motivation for shopping at a farmers market vary across market location?

Soulard Kirkwood Green Bay FondyQuality/Freshness 2.2 2.6 1.98 2.2653

Support local farmers* 3.08 3.06 2.08 3.3265

Atmosphere of market* 3.22 2.86 2.72 3.9184Convenience 3.84 3.06 3.32 3.4286

Price* 2.7 3.92 3.98 3.1224

Importance of factors when deciding where to shop

*Price: F statistics = 7.467 (P<0.000)

*Atmosphere of market: F statistics = 5.433 (P<0.001)

*Support local farmers: F statistics = 5.515 (P<0.001)

Do factors cited when purchasing fruits and vegetables vary across market location?

Soulard Kirkwood Green Bay FondyPrice 2.82 3.3265 3.58 3.06Nutritional Value 3.7 3.6327 3.24 3.36Quality/freshness 2.16 1.9388 1.88 2.36Appearance of product 2.66 2.5306 2.72 2.76

Locally produced* 3.72 2.8367 2.44 3.72

Importance of factors when buying fruits & vegetables

*One way ANOVA, F statistic = 7.457 (P<0.000)

Does motivation for shopping in a farmersmarket vary across demographic

characteristics such as race, ethnicity, and income?

Male FemalePrice 3.04 (3rd) 3.27 (3rd)Nutritional Value 3.66 (5th) 3.39 (5th)Quality/freshness 2.06 (1st) 2.1 (1st)Appearance of product* 3.34 (4th) 2.33 (2nd)Locally produced 2.99 (2nd) 3.28 (4th)

Importance of factors when buying fruits and vegetables

*T statistics = 4.134 (P>0.000)

Comparison of Male and Female Respondents on Importance of Selected Factors when

Purchasing Fruits and Vegetables

Other demographic differences• The age group 61 & over tended to rank locally produced as

higher importance when buying fruits and vegetables.

• Respondents with 4 year and graduate degrees gave higher importance to locally produced, quality/freshness when buying fruits and vegetables, and atmosphere of market when choosing a market.

• Respondents with higher income gave higher importance to atmosphere and support of local farmers when deciding where to shop.

How would you define “locally-produced” fruits and vegetables?

(Kirkwood)Definition of "locally-produced" # of respondentsMissouri and surrounding states 8Other 8No response 8Missouri 7St. Louis/metro 6Missouri and Illinois 5"Excellent", "Good", "Fresh" 5Mileage 3 20 miles 1 30 miles 1 75 miles 1

How would you define “locally-produced” fruits and vegetables?

(Soulard)Definition of "locally-produced" # of respondentsNo response 17Other 13Missouri and Illinois 7Missouri 4"Fresh" and "Good" 4Mileage 3 10 miles 1 50 miles 1 100 miles 1

How would you define “locally-produced” fruits and vegetables?

(Fondy)

Definition of "locally-produced" # of respondentsOther 17"Good" and "Very Good" 15No response 8In-state 5Fresh 3Mileage 2 50 miles 1 150 miles 1

How would you define “locally-produced” fruits and vegetables?

(Green Bay)Definition of "locally-produced" # of respondents"Good", "Great", "Excellent" 9Other 8Mileage 7 10 miles 1 20 miles 1 30 miles 3 50 miles 2Within the area 6Northeast Wisconsin 5Wisconsin 5Brown County 4No Response 4

Conclusion• For all four markets, shoppers had higher educational attainment

and income than neighborhood residents. African-Americans were also underrepresented among shoppers.

• However, there were also significant differences between shoppers at the different markets, especially in motivations for choosing the market and in factors influencing purchases.

• Socio-economic characteristics such as gender, age, education, and income have some influence on purchasing decisions.

• No association being raised on a farm and consumers’ desire to support local farmers as a factor influencing their choice of a farmers market.

Limitations and Further Research Needs• Non-random sample may have biased results.

– Following groups underrepresented among respondents• Senior citizens• People with younger children• Hispanics

• Future surveys, using a randomly-drawn sample of frequent shoppers could test these findings.

• Since local residents are underrepresented among shoppers, research could examine what factors could lead them to shop at the market.

Questions?

Acknowledgments

• Ronald E. McNair Program

• Dr. Michael Seipel, Mentor

• Green Bay, Fondy, Kirkwood, & Soulard Farmers Markets