Role of Farmers Markets in the Mainstream Food System - Research Paper Example

The role of Farmers Markets in Ontario, Canada in filling the gap existing in the mainstream food system of the region The local economy of Ontario, as a whole, has been witnessing an upward trend as more and more urban dwellers come to shop in the farmers market. Moreover, this concept of buying directly from the farmers has evolved itself, as an alternate social space which can partially replace and partially complement the mainstream food system. Food security and food sustainability have been the two major achievements brought about by farmers markets in Ontario. The social and community level impact of farmers markets have been amazing, as these markets function as a venue for person to person interactions in an urban setting, where people loose their faces in the crowd. Thus the farmers markets have a potential to develop a new level of community bonding. RESULTS: Farmers markets in Ontario nowadays have become one of the hottest shopping spots where consumers drop in to buy fresh vegetables and fruits directly from the farmers. It has been revealed that “In Ontario.... sales at Farmers Markets total almost $600 million, leading to an economic impact of an astounding $1.8 billion” (Farmersmarketsontario). Some other studies have shown that “ 60 to 70 percent of market-goers visit neighboring businesses on their way to and from the market” thereby helping other local businesses also to flourish (Farmersmarketsontario). Some farmers markets have also been contributing their profits to social causes in the form of donations to the local senior centres, libraries and schools, thereby linking the local economy with social upliftment (Hinsley and Pascoe, 1). In addition, review of the materials available regarding the farmers market has indicated that the 100 mile diet concept is promptly fulfilled by this initiative. This concept has a meaning that, you “try eating only from producers within 100 miles of your home” (Winter, 88). This decision is taken in order to contribute to the sustainability of local agriculture and local livelihood as well as to evolve a healthy eating habit in which maximum fresh food is consumed. The farmers markets have also been lauded as environmental friendly because, “locally produced food has not traveled hundreds of miles to reach them (the consumers), increasing the fossil fuel emissions that lead to global climate change” (Hinsley and Pascoe, 2). As a positive consequence of farmers markets, it has been noticed that the “consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables over the years” has increased in Ontario and the “better nutritional content, good taste, and flavor” have attracted many customers to farmers markets, by making them a success (Govindasamy, Italia, and Adelaja). The initiative of farmers markets have thus greatly enriched the main stream food system (Stephenson). As a major portion of the produces in farmers market are usually organic, the farmers markets have strengthened the habits of healthy eating and food safety. Food security and food system sustainability has been the two faces of this achievement, as “such a system links both ends of the food chain through the bonds of community as well as economy (qtd. In Robinson and Hartenfeld, 67). The benefits indicated here are, “greater independence and self reliance for communities,....(less) dependence on long distance food producers and distributors,...pay(ment) of local dollars to local individuals, keeping more money in the local economy where it can support farms, jobs and businesses” (qtd. In Robinson and Hartenfeld, 67). Only local farmers get the chance to sell their grown food in the market, which has resulted in huge encouragement to local farming industry.  The novelty of farmers markets has added a tourism aspect to the mundane affair of buying and selling vegetables and fruits. The markets provide an extended kind of farm tourism experience to the urban dwellers. Farmers Markets Ontario Customer Profile and Impact Study 2009 found out that “ 67% (of the customers) said it was extremely important to buy produce from the farmer that grew it rather than buying it from a person who buys it from a food terminal or another farmer and resells ” (3). Ontario farmers’ markets have been found to contribute to the Ontario economy, about “$641 million to $1.9 billion annually ” (Ontario Farmers Markets, 5). Another encouraging revelation has been that “over 15 million shopper-visits were made to farmers’ markets in Ontario in 2008” (Ontario Farmers Markets, 5). Thus, if analyzed comprehensively, it can be stated that the initiative has been able to achieve its goals, to a considerable extend. ROLE OF FARMERS MARKETS IN THE MAINSTREAM FOOD SYSTEM Farmers market is not a new concept to humanity. It is rather an age old practice, a system that has prevailed since the beginning of barter system in the human society. In those days, nobody would have imagined that someone other than the primary producer could ever sell the produce to the customer. But as the civilization grew, and transportation facilities increased, the locally produced agricultural goods started to go places and the middle men took over from the farmer, the role of taking goods to the consumer. The consumer also stopped going to the doorsteps of the producer in search of food. Slowly, farmers markets withered away and a huge network of wholesale and retail market chains were established in agricultural sector. This phenomenon had rendered the farmer powerless to decide the price of her/his produce. She/he has been transformed into an ignorant and weak onlooker, when it comes to the intriguing equations of far away markets. The middle men wields the power to decide the price of agricultural produces and to earn profit out of them. Every year, farmers confronted huge losses (Hinsley, 23-25). Apart from this, the situation of the farmers worsened, because of the “labour shortages and rising costs of production inputs ” (Ontario Farmers Market, 4). It was in this context that communities and governments began to rethink about the necessity and possibility of farmers markets. Once they were made aware of the importance of a farmers market, consumers also supported such initiatives. Because, in commercial markets, they were unable to get hold of fresh fruits and vegetables due to lack of infrastructure and facilities in different parts of the globe (Hinsley; 23-25). It has been a known fact that “supermarket foods can travel an average of 1200-1500 miles before they reach your plate using energy, and resulting in increased air pollution” (Winter, 88). A farmers market is a selling counter directly run by the farmers, thereby avoiding middlemen and enabling the farmer to get maximum profit out of his produce (Hinsley and Pascoe, 1). Such a system also provides the customer more fresh and trustworthy produce for every penny that they spend (Hinsley and Pascoe, 1). In a survey, “57 % (of the customers) state(d) that fresh produce is their number one reason for visiting Ontario markets” (Ontario Farmers Markets, 8). Thus, farmers market works to the benefit of both the farmer and the customer (Hinsley and Pascoe, 3). To buy a fruit or vegetable from the hands of the person who has nurtured and cared for it, is a different experience for the customer (Hinsley and Pascoe, 2). It brings in an element of trust between the buyer and the seller. On the other hand, there are more benefits like reduced price which is made possible because for the locally produced things, the transportation cost will be less. Also the cost becomes less because the percentage of price that usually goes to the middle man is nil in this system of market. It was in 1780 that a farmers market was opened in Kingston, which was novel in all aspects and the first one of its kind in Ontario (Farmersmarketsontario). But from 1970s onwards, downtown shopping started to become unfashionable and shopping malls began to rule the roost (Farmersmarketsontario). But the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the farmers community leaders in Ontario joined hands to rejuvenate the farmers markets which resulted in a unique and constant farmer - customer bonding in Ontario (Farmersmarketsontario). Farmers Market Ontario was the organization instrumental in bringing about this change (Farmersmarketsontario). In the place of the 60 farmers markets that functioned in Ontario in 1980s, now there are around 150 (Farmersmarketsontario). The produces for sale in a farmers market included, “fruits, vegetables, meats, herbs, maple syrup and honey,” and also, “baked goods... flowers.... jam, jelly, and preserves ….herbal products...... juices,.... and dried fruits” (Farmersmarketsontario; Govindasamy, Italia, and Adelaja). Of the sellers in farmers markets of Ontario, about 77% are primary producers (Farmers Market Ontario, 4). This fact gives a picture of how the local farmers are benefited. The budget of Ontario 2008 had kept aside “$56 million over four years for the pick Ontario freshness strategy and the Ontario Farmers Market Initiative” so that local Ontarians are encouraged to “buy locally” (Ontario Ministry of Finance, 10). The importance of farmers markets to the local farming community and other local people has been signified by the fact that about “27,000 people in Ontario are directly involved in preparing and selling the products” in farmers markets (Farmersmarketsontario). Though the farmers markets operate inside the mainstream food system, it has been noted that among the customers, an “overwhelming majority (98.5%) expect higher quality produce from farmers markets compared to that at other retail facilities” (Govindasamy, Italia, and Adelaja). The rising prices of vegetables, fruits and other food items in the mainstream markets has been a constant concern of a majority of customers. Govindasamy, Italia, and Adelaja have shown that competitive prices is one aspect by which farmers markets have succeeded to compete with commercial groceries. In order to compete with commercial vendors in the market, farmers markets have certain other strategies devised from experience and thoughtful assessments (Govindasamy; Womach, 20-22). Maximum diversification regarding salable items has been experimented with (Hinsley and Pascoe, 7). Many markets have been found to host “special events” like music concerts and also started “contests for customers to win prices” (Hinsley and Pascoe, 7). This has been a successful strategy to attract crowds to the market. Farmers market has itself become a strategy to create and ensure availability of the information to local farmers regarding means and tools that may allow them to grow their crops in a better manner while selling them in the most effective way. The government has also supported the farmers market by bringing in legislations like, WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Act of 1992, which has provided women, infants and children food coupons “that can be used to purchase fresh, unprocessed foods....from farmers markets” (Womach and Canada, 204). An overall encouraging fact is that “96 % of shoppers (in farmers market) find that their market experience meets or exceeds their expectations” (Ontario Farmers Market, 8). The farmers markets have brought back the family farm concept back into fashion which was some decades back almost replaced by the concept of big farms run by huge corporate companies (Farmersmarketsontario). Thus the farmers market is a memorial to a human heritage, which celebrates the qualitative and person-to person side of food production and sale rather than the blind race for quantity even at the cost of quality (Farmersmarketsontario). CHALLENGES AHEAD What the customers have found to be lacking in farmers markets are, “ more product selection and convenience in locations, payment options and lifestyle amenities ” which the shopping malls provide them in a more sophisticated way (Farmers Market Ontario, 3). Pressure has been mounting on the organizers of the farmers markets to ensure that “Health and Safety requirements” are met with perfectly, “parking needs for vendors and customers” are taken care of and there is proper balance between “primary producer capabilities and customer demands for year-round product selection ” (Ontario Farmers Markets, 4). But as far as customer response is concerned, “83% of Ontario shoppers believe that food safety practices are better (48%) or about the same (35%) as grocery stores ” (Ontario Farmers Markets, 8). But the customer profile studies have shown that “71 % of the principal shoppers (in farmers markets) are 40 and older” (Ontario Farmers Markets, 8). This is the indication of a certainly alarming fact-the markets have not been successful to attract members of younger generation to it (Ontario Farmers Markets, 8). One alternative that can be offered to farmers markets is the in farm sales counters which can be clubbed with farm tourism. Another step can be the promotion of urban farming initiatives. But both these concepts have their own limitations. Vegetables and fruits being goods that everybody need and that too on a regular basis, these two options can be adopted only as a complementary process to farmers markets. CONCLUSION A farmers market is a social interface for the urban and rural dwellers. The socio-cultural give and take that happens in such a space can become the topic of meaningful research in the future to understand the mechanism of urbanization and modernity. One psychological aspect of a farmers market is that the urban customer who has no chance to live close to nature, is given an opportunity to encounter the rural life as close as possible through the farmers market. When the customer realizes that the potato, tomato or carrots that they touch with their hands are from the land they are familiar with, a land that is accessible for them, a different kind of charm sets in. The “social and communal nature” of the farmers markets is the key factor which attracts people to them (Farmers Market Ontario, 4). The need of every human being to be in touch with her/his roots is the basic premise in which farmers markets also take roots. References  Farmers Market Ontario. About Us, 2010. web. November 05 2010. http://www.farmersmarketsontario.com/AboutUs.cfm Farmers Market Ontario, Farmers Markets Ontario Customer Profile and Impact Study 2009, January 2009. web. November 7 2010. http://www.farmersmarketsontario.com/PublicLibrary.cfm Govindasamy, Ramu, Italia, John and Adelaja, Adesoji, Farmers Markets: Consumer Trends, Preferences,and Characteristics. Journal of Extension, Vol.40, No.1, February 2002. web. November 05 2010. http://www.joe.org/joe/2002february/rb6.php Hinsley, Libby, and Pascoe, Kira. Farmers Markets: Enriching Communities Across Montana. Alternative Energy Resource Organization, 2003; 1-27.  Ontario Ministry of Finance, Ontario Budget 2008, 2008.web. 07 November 2010. http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/budget/ Robinson, Jennifer Meta and Hartenfeld, J.A., The Farmers Market Book: Growing Food, Cultivating Community, Indiana University Press, 2007. Stephenson, Garry O. Farmers Markets: Success, Failure, And Management Ecology. New York: Cambria Press, 2008.  Winter, Mick, Sustainable Living: For Home, Neighborhood and Community, Westsong Publishing, 2007. Womach, Jasper, and Carol Canada. Agriculture: a Glossary of Terms, Programs, Laws and Websites. Huntington, N.Y: Nova Science Publishers, 2000. Read More