Background 

The USDA has placed a priority on improving 

access to farmers markets by Supplemental 

Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) 

participants by increasing the number of markets 

authorized to redeem SNAP benefits. While the 

number of SNAP-authorized farmers markets 

has increased dramatically in recent years, the 

amount of SNAP benefits redeemed at farmers 

markets has not shown the same increase. This 

study was undertaken to understand why some 

SNAP participants shop at farmers markets and

others in the same geographic area do not. 

Methods

Sixty-five “reference” farmers markets 

representing 23 States were randomly selected 

from a list of markets with Electronic Benefits 

Transfer (EBT) redemptions greater than $1,000 

between June 2011 and July 2012. SNAP 

participants who shopped at, or lived within 2 

miles of, these reference markets were randomly 

selected for the survey. 

Between July and October 2013, 3,247 SNAP 

participants who used SNAP EBT at reference 

farmers markets (FM shoppers) and 1,499 

nonshoppers completed a survey examining their 

general food shopping patterns, the advantages 

of shopping at farmers markets, and the barriers 

they found to using farmers markets.

In addition, 12 focus groups (6 with shoppers 

and 6 with nonshoppers) were conducted in 

Atlanta, San Diego, and San Francisco to collect 

qualitative data about the benefits of and barriers 

to shopping at farmers markets.

Findings

Overall, both FM shoppers and nonshoppers 

in the study reported spending most of their 

SNAP benefits at supermarkets and large 

grocery stores. 

• Almost 97 percent of study participants 

shopped at large grocery stores or 

supermarkets, with over 75 percent buying 

fresh fruits and vegetables there every week 

or more often. 

• About 88 percent of study participants 

considered good specials or deals and the 

prices of all groceries when deciding where 

to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. Low 

prices of fruits and vegetables and 

acceptance of SNAP benefits were 

important factors for 83 percent. 

Participant characteristics influenced 

shopping patterns and the use of EBT at 

farmers markets. 

• Women in the study were 1.3 times more 

likely than men to shop at farmers markets, 

as compared to data on shopping patterns of 

all U.S. households showing that women are 

1.8 times more likely than men to shop for 

groceries in general. 

• Those receiving support from other nutrition

assistance programs, such as the Special 

Supplemental Nutrition Program for 

Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) were

1.4 times more likely to shop at farmers 

markets, than those who only participate in 

SNAP. 

• African-Americans and other non-White 

participants were about 30 percent less 

likely to shop at farmers markets than White 

participants. However, among those who 

shopped, African-Americans reported being

1.6 times more likely to use their EBT card 

for buying fresh fruits and vegetables at 

farmers markets than using cash. 

NUTRITION ASSISTANCE IN FARMERS MARKETS: UNDERSTANDING THE 

SHOPPING PATTERNS OF SNAP PARTICIPANTS (SUMMARY)

Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Policy Support October 2014 
Page 2 

• Those with annual household incomes 

below $10,000 were about 14 percent less 

likely to shop at farmers markets than 

participants with higher annual household 

incomes. 

The most commonly reported reason for 

shopping at farmers markets was access to 

high-quality fruits and vegetables. However, 

various other factors were also key 

considerations for shopping at a specific 

farmers market. 

• Almost 80 percent of FM shoppers 

mentioned access to high-quality fruits and 

vegetables as the reason for shopping at 

their reference farmers market.

• Sixty-five percent of FM shoppers perceived

that fruits and vegetables were fresher at 

farmers markets than in other stores. About 

31 percent found them to be just as fresh and 

only 4 percent thought they were less fresh. 

• About 39 percent of FM shoppers believed 

that the prices of fresh fruits and vegetables 

were lower at farmers markets than other 

stores. About 27 percent believed they were 

the same and about 35 percent thought 

prices were higher. 

• Other important reasons were access to 

locally grown and different types of fruits 

and vegetables, helpful staff, and the fun 

atmosphere of the market.

Reasons for not shopping at farmers markets

generally had to do with convenience and 

prices.

• About 42 percent of FM shoppers who 

frequently shopped at their reference market

did not shop there as often as they liked

because it was easier to buy all of their 

groceries at one location, while 35 percent

stated that the market was not close to where 

they lived.

• About 73 percent of nonshoppers stated that

they chose not to shop at farmers markets as

it was easier to buy all of their groceries in 

one location, while 42 percent stated that it 

was not easy to get to farmers markets. 

About 33 percent said that the prices at 

farmers markets were too high. 

Availability of financial incentives was an 

important reason for participants to shop at 

farmers markets. 

• Study participants who knew that some

farmers markets offered financial incentives 

to participants who redeemed their EBT 

benefits there were 40 times more likely to 

shop at farmers markets.

• Of the FM shoppers who reported that their 

farmers market offered incentives, 60 

percent indicated that the incentives were a 

very important reason for shopping at the 

market. They also reported shopping more 

frequently at farmers markets because of the 

incentives. 

• However, fewer than half reported using 

more of their EBT benefits at a farmers 

market to earn the incentive. 

• Nearly 60 percent of FM shoppers reported 

that their household ate more fruits and 

vegetables because of the incentive they 

received for using EBT at a farmers market.

• Only 2.8 percent of nonshoppers were aware 

that some farmers markets offered 

incentives to SNAP EBT users. Almost 50

percent reported that they would be more 

likely to shop at a farmers market if an 

incentive were offered. 

For More Information 

Karakus, Mustafa, Keith MacAllum, Roline 

Milfort, and Hongsheng Hao. Nutrition 

Assistance in Farmers Markets: Understanding 

the Shopping Patterns of SNAP Participants. 

Prepared by Westat for the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, 

October 2014. Available online at 

www.fns.usda.gov/research-and-analysis. 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.