Farmers Markets, Local Food Systems and the Social Economy: A Thematic Literature Review

The first section outlines some of the many definitions given to the FM. Key themes will be identified. Following this, a brief discussion of the market concept, the history of selling in public spaces as well as a brief look at FM in other places around the world will help situate FM as a part of history and current times as well as touch on their existence as a global phenomena. Section two seeks to outline the investment in Farmers Markets; more specifically, public and private contributions to the things farmers markets need most: access to land and buildings, infrastructure, administration. Furthermore, this section seeks to explore what role the farmers/vendors themselves have in this investment and whether or not it is a grassroots or top down approach to the procurement of the necessary operating resources. In addition, some insight into which group is driving this investment, producers or consumers, will be presented. Section three examines key themes emerging from the literature around FM. These themes help situate the benefits and challenges of the FM structure in relation to producers, consumers, communities, municipalities, food safety and small business. Section four offers a brief look at the third sector, the social economy and explores the emergence of FM within the context of a social economic development initiative. The chapter continues on to define community food systems and offers a look at the role of FM working with strong CFS. The chapter concludes with some suggestions for future research to explore the role of FM in driving CFS. Section five examines the FM in specific settings; in British Colombia and Alberta. The origins, structures, functions and other related features are explored. Section six offers reflections on what has not been written about in the current literature; such things as the ambiguity of employing social capital as means to map and measure the social benefits of FM, debates about FM as features of agro tourism, the urban phenomena of direct marketing as well as the limited accessibility of local agricultural products.Alternative food systems, often drawing heavily on local and ‘embedded’ markets, have emerged as a response to the dissipating connection between food systems and ecological systems brought about by the globalization trend. These alternatives seek to re-establish direct links between producers and consumers and to re-establish some control over a food system that has become distant and anonymous. This literature review examines the role of farmers markets in these alternative food systems as discussed in the literature. It is one component of a wider research initiative on farmers markets conducted by the BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA).BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA) ; Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) ; University of Alberta ; Simon Fraser Universit

Farmers Markets as Social and Economic Drivers of Local Food Systems

This presentation was given at the November 24-25, 2009, symposium of the BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.This presentation reported on the results to date of BALTA research projects B5 and B7 (second phase of research) which are exploring the current and potential role of farmers’ markets in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada, as social economy drivers for local food systems.BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA) ; Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC

Farmers Markets as Social and Economic Drivers of Local Food Systems

This presentation was given at the November 13-14, 2008, symposium of the BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance in Vancouver, BC, Canada.This presentation reported on the results to date of BALTA research project B5 which is exploring the current and potential role of farmers’ markets in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada, as social economy drivers for local food systems.BC-Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA) ; Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC