How Farmers Markets Benefit the Consumer by Ariana Bray-Sweet

Farmers Markets have many benefits beyond helping the food desert problem. Did you know that the average grocery item must travel 1,300 miles just to get from the field to your table (WSFMA)? Furthermore, most produce is harvested while it is still immature so that it can withstand travel better. You could also be eating ethylene gas, which is used to treat some fruits and vegetables to make them look ripe, but the appearance doesn’t mean it tastes ripe (WSFMA)!

Many people would be shocked to find out that the quality of fresh fruits and vegetables begin to decline right after harvest. Broccoli loses 1/3 of its vitamin C in two days and by the time Mexican asparagus gets to Seattle, it has already lost 2/3 of its vitamins (WSFMA).

When shopping at a Farmers Market, the majority of the time the produce was harvested hours before arriving at the market. Many people believe that shopping at a farmers market might be more expensive than a grocery store, but a national survey of 15 cities found that the food items were cheaper at a farmers market a whopping 91 percent of the time (WSFMA)! When a dollar is spent at a farmers market, the farmer keeps the entire dollar. When selling to grocery stores, a farmer only sees a percentage of that dollar. This allows the consumer to save money by buying directly from the farmer. Next time you need fresh produce, get real freshness at your Farmers Market instead of foods that have already lost the majority of their vitamins and nutrients. You’ll find that it tastes better, you’re supporting your local economy, and you could save money! Try supporting your local Farmers Market or try to get one set up if you don’t already have one.

All Information Derived From: Washington State Farmers Market Association Informational Handbook: http://www.wafarmersmarkets.com/info/market_info_handbook.html

Could the Answer to Food Deserts Be in Hong Kong?- Bray-Sweet

One may think that large cities with high prices are most likely to develop food deserts. Susanne Freidberg’s research has proven this may not be the case. Freidberg is an associate professor of geography at Dartmouth and has also written a book titled Fresh: A Perishable History. She wrote a series of blogs as a guest poster for the New York Times' online section called "Freakonomics."

Freidberg visited Hong Kong, an obviously crowded, large city. She points out that “thirty thousand people live in each square kilometer versus the 10,238 per square kilometer in New York…, with most of them living in very small apartments.” Even so, the answer seems to lie in the wet markets of the city. These markets provide fresh, affordable food and are within walking distance for most residents of Hong Kong. Perhaps part of the answer to solving food deserts could be discovered here.

Please read more about Freidberg’s excellent research and thoughts in her article: Freidberg’s Article

Citation: Freidberg, Susanne. "Food Deserts: A Guest Post." Freakonomics. Mar. 2009. New York Times. 14 July 2009

WIC and Food Deserts by Bray-Sweet

Food deserts are basically areas in which the residents have limited or no access to fresh, healthy foods vital to maintaining a healthy diet. Some of those at the biggest risk for health-related issues are infants and children. Being deprived of a diet with the proper nutrition as a developing child can cause serious health problems. Additionally, a breast-feeding mother needs to be consuming a nutritious diet to ensure her baby’s health.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a program that seeks to aid “low-income women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutrition risk” (USDA website). The program offers nutritious foods, information on healthy eating, as well as health care referrals. WIC recognizes the dangers of food deserts to low income women, infants, and children and has worked hard to spread the program to all 50 states as well as Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, and several others.

The WIC program offers access to healthful foods including fresh milk, eggs, cheese, fruits and vegetables, and many others. There is also a supplemental program called the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program which allows WIC members to purchase fresh produce at local farmers’ markets. One of WIC’s major goals is to “increase the access to fruits and vegetables and whole grains for children and women” (USDA website). Their work to assist with the issue of food deserts has been extremely beneficial, but the fight isn’t nearly over.

Unfortunately, as Andrea Sparks points out in her thesis, the lack of supermarket access in food deserts affects government assistance programs like WIC. When people living in food deserts are forced to shop at the closer, more expensive stores, the public assistance money doesn’t go as far in helping the problem as it would at a more moderately priced supermarket.

-Ariana Bray-Sweet

Food and Nutrition Service. 2009. U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1 July 2009
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Sparks, Andrea. "Measuring Food Deserts." June 2008. U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1 July 2009
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