In Kentucky, 55% of farmers’ markets do not accept SNAP benefits. Yet, recent  surveys conducted by theUniversity of Kentucky Nutrition Education Program revealed that SNAP-eligible Kentuckians who shopped for fruit and vegetables at farmers’ markets, roadside stands and pick-your-own produce farms in addition to grocery stores ate an average of one serving more per day than those who shopped only at grocery stores.  Increasing SNAP-eligible Kentuckians’ access to fresh produce through farmers’ markets could have a positive impact on their consumption of fruits and vegetables, and thus reduce incidence of obesity and associated chronic diseases.

The UK Nutrition Education Program’s Farmers’ Market Research Project applied a Community Based Prevention Marketing approach to determine the barriers to and promoters of low-income Kentuckians shopping for fresh produce at farmers’ markets.  The process gathered data and information from eighty SNAP-eligible Kentuckians in eight geographically dispersed counties, including four metro and four non-metro counties.   Additionally, twenty-four stakeholders in Kentucky’s food system, representing public and private organizations and businesses, were assembled to provide insight and guidance to the project. The results of the formative research were compiled into reports and presented to the advisory board.

In response, the Nutrition Education Program developed a Farmers’ MarketToolkit, which provides materials and resources to address barriers and capitalize upon promoters identified through the research process.  During the summer of 2018, the toolkit will be piloted with agents throughout Kentucky, with a goal to launch the resource for use in the 2019 market season.  Additionally, data from the formative research will be used to guide future NEP programming.