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Challenges to making local food accessible through farmersˈ markets and community supported agriculture: DeKalb County, Georgia
Author(s) -
McAuliffe Corey,
Whitaker Laura,
Girard Aimee Webb
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.32.4
Subject(s) - business , agriculture , distribution (mathematics) , product (mathematics) , local government , atlanta , marketing , government (linguistics) , sustainable agriculture , local community , sustainability , order (exchange) , metropolitan area , agricultural economics , finance , geography , economics , public administration , political science , mathematical analysis , ecology , linguistics , philosophy , geometry , mathematics , archaeology , law , biology
Local farmers and producers face many challenges when trying to harvest and distribute their goods. Farmers’ markets and community supported agriculture (CSA) offer an alternative distribution system that has yet to be systematically assessed within metro Atlanta. We partnered with Georgia Organics (a non‐profit dedicated to ensuring healthy, sustainable, and locally grown food for all Georgians) in order to assess issues faced by local producers in product accessibility. We completed interviews with farmers’ market managers, farmers, CSA managers, and a cooperative market manager to assess the challenges and successes of product accessibility through famers’ markets and CSAs within DeKalb County, Georgia. Research was completed to inform DeKalb County Board of Health initiatives. Qualitative data was collected on system operations, accessibility to local foods, challenges and barriers to the system, motivating factors, and sustainable system components. Data shows financial barriers to production, prohibitive policies, limitations for marketing and distribution systems, and limiting environmental factors. In order to increase access to local, healthy foods in low income areas of DeKalb County, local and state level government can reduce producers’ risk through funding and supporting adapted models. This study was supported by the Emory University Office of University‐Community Partnerships. Grant Funding Source : Emory University Office of University‐Community Partnerships