Farmers markets are an important market outlet for many specialty crop growers and producers. The need for understanding consumer values at the market, innovations for improvement, and more help aid farmers markets in being a successful market outlet for growers and producers.  

In February of 2025, Savannah Columbia attended the Southern Agricultural Economics Association’s Annual Meeting in Irving, Texas to showcase her farmers market research survey conducted with Dr. Timothy Woods, Dr. Annette Heisdorffer (Daviess County Extension Agent), and Sarah Imbus (Campbell County Extension Agent). Their research poster, Traits and Values of Farmers Market Patrons in Two Selected Kentucky Counties, was featured in the Poster Presentation Session. In this session, Savannah discussed the farmers market survey with 10 conference attendees. This was a great opportunity to showcase research that can be applied in other states with farmers’ markets. 

Savannah Columbia, Dr. Timothy Woods, Dr. Annette Heisdorffer, and Sarah Imbus also showcased this poster at the 2025 State Extension Conference. Total poster session attendance = 50. The conference audience included Cooperative Extension agents, specialists, area directors, and more. The audience gained insight into research they can conduct with farmers markets in their counties. 

Additionally, Savannah Columbia attended the National Urban Extension Leaders (NUEL) Southern and 1890s Regional Conference in Durham, North Carolina in May of 2025. At the conference, she presented “Engaging Your Community with Farmers Market Programming”. This presentation explored the community and farmers market survey results, how the survey methodology used in two counties (Campbell and Daviess) can be adapted and applied to other regions for similar purposes (targets programming/partnership conference theme), and how community feedback can inform educational and support programs related to farmers markets and other local food systems in supporting local food production and distribution (targets programming conference theme).?Total session attendance = 17.  

Presenting this farmers market research on a state and national level promotes local food research and market tactics that can be applied broadly. The initial outcome was to share this research, so others could conduct similar research. Also, an initial outcome was to share the research findings with the participating counties (Daviess and Campbell). Savannah Columbia and Dr. Timothy Woods have shared their findings, with the help of Dr. Annette Heisdorffer and Sarah Imbus.