Perceived Barriers and Facilitators of Farm-to-Consumer Retail Outlet Use Among Participants of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in Alabama

Abstract

This research aimed to identify perceived barriers and facilitators of farm-to-consumer (FTC) retail outlet (eg, farmers’ markets, farm/roadside stands) usage among Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) participants residing in Birmingham, Alabama. Additionally, associations between barriers and facilitators reported and daily fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake were examined. A sample of 312 lower income women (mean age = 27.6; 67.0% non-Hispanic black; 45.3% obese) who participate in the Birmingham WIC program were surveyed between October 2014 and January 2015. Fischer’s exact test was used to assess associations between barriers (eg, outlet location, price, transportation), facilitators (eg, produce quality, produce variety), and high F&V intake (ie, consuming ≥ 5 servings per day). Approximately 81 (26.1%) participants reported using an FTC outlet to purchase produce in 2014. Lack of awareness (39.3%), outlet location (32.8%), and lack of interest (28.4%) were the barriers most often reported. Produce quality (69.1%), produce variety (49.4%), and price (39.5%) were the facilitators most often reported. Barriers and facilitators mentioned were not associated with high F&V intake. Lack of awareness and lack of interest are key barriers to FTC outlet usage among Birmingham WIC recipients. Interventions aiming to promote use of FTC outlets should consider the perceived barriers and facilitators to usage.

Profiling the consumers of farmers' markets: a systematic review of survey-based empirical evidence

“…The reasons for this may be twofold. On the one hand, it may be that a young society was studied (e.g., an analysis of the shopping habits of members of young Taiwanese society [Ma and Chang, 2022]) or that research was specifically conducted on young age groups (e.g., an analysis of the shopping habits of young women and mothers participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program [SNAP] (Singleton et al, 2017), a program implemented by the US government to supplement the food budgets of needy families by providing vouchers redeemable for healthy food at FMs).…”

“…Bad location and accessibility of FMs are key barriers of not visiting Dodds et al, 2014;Farmer et al, 2019;Garner and Ayala, 2018;Gwin and Lev, 2011;Pitts et al, 2015;Rust, 2020;Sadler, 2016;Shakeel Ul and Selvaraj, 2013;Shi and Hodges, 2016;Singleton et al, 2017;Szabó and Juhász, 2015;Wade et al, 2015;Youngs, 2003a)…”

“…Lack of information about FMs is a key barrier of not visiting (Archer et al, 2003;Dukeshire et al, 2010;Shakeel Ul and Selvaraj, 2013;Singleton et al, 2017;Vargo et al, 2022;Wade et al, 2015) Table A1. (Continued.)…”

“…and Walsh, 2019; Blanck et al, 2011;Bottcher et al, 2017;Chang et al, 2013;Chen, Yu and Fu, 2021;Crandall et al, 2010;Curtis et al, 2020;Dodds and Holmes, 2017;Elepu and Mazzocco, 2010;Farmer et al, 2019;Foti and Timpanaro, 2021;Garner and Ayala, 2018;Gary-Webb et al, 2018;González, 2009;Hunt, 2007;Karpyn et al, 2014;Kushwah, Dhir and Sagar, 2019;Ma and Chang, 2022;Mack and Tong, 2015;Obach and Tobin, 2014;Pascucci et al, 2011;Rainey et al, 2011;Rice, 2015;Rossi, Woods and Davis, 2018;Schneider and Francis, 2005;Shi and Hodges, 2016;Singleton et al, 2017;Solanki and Inumula, 2021;Spilkova, 2018;Spilková et al, 2013;Telligman, Worosz and Bratcher, 2017;Vargo et al, 2022;Vasco et al, 2018;Waldman and Kerr, 2018)…”

LGBTQ+ food insufficiency in New England

“…Blackmore 2013 ; Dailey et al 2015 ; Hanson et al 2022 ; Sadler 2016 ; Savoie-Roskos et al 2016 ). For instance, an extensive line of research is focused on the potential of initiatives designed to increase the accessibility and availability of fresh produce in low income and underserved communities, including urban agriculture (Siegner et al 2018 ), community gardens (Furness and Gallaher 2018 ), farmers markets and farm stands (Evans et al 2012 ; Markowitz 2013 ; Sage et al 2013 ), mobile markets (Leone et al 2017 ); and related food assistance programs such as the farmers’ market nutrition program (Blumberg et al 2022 ; Dimitri et al 2015 ; Johnson et al 2020 ; O’Dare 2017 ; Singleton et al 2017 ).…”