Increasing Consumer Participation in Alternative Food Networks

Increasing public Participation in Alternative Food Networks

to Support Small and Mid- Sized Farms

Alternative food networks (AFNs), such as farmers markets, farm stores and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), are relationship-based marketing models that shorten the supply chain and aim to offer fair prices, transparency and environmental sustainability.

Small and mid-sized farms have higher survival rates when they market directly to consumers through these channels. However, AFNs have not reached beyond a small, niche market and their growth has plateaued in the past few decades. Our research goal is to identify how AFNs can serve a broader diversity of consumer needs and cultural preferences and to identify priorities and communication strategies that resonate with a broader customer base of New England consumers.

See our research findings here.

Funded by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Agriculture & Food Research Initiative (AFRI), Award #110394.