LOCAL FOODS PURCHASING IN THE FARMERS\u27 MARKET CHANNEL: VALUE-ATTITUDE-BEHAVIOR THEORY

From farmers’ market booths to kitchen tables, demand for locally-produced foods has increased significantly over the last decade. Yet, despite increasing popularity of local foods, theoretically-based research of this topic has just begun. This study fills this gap in literature and broadens the current research base by utilizing Value-Attitude-Behavior Theory to explore local foods purchasing in the farmers’ market channel. The impact of four values (food novelty, food safety, civic engagement, and environmental concern) on consumers’ attitudes regarding farmers’ market design perceptions, farmers’ market social perceptions, and local foods quality perceptions are examined. In turn, the impact of these attitudes on purchase intention and word-of-mouth communications is explored. A web-based, self-administered survey was used in collecting data from a consumer panel of 485 respondents. Through statistical testing using SPSS, a demographic overview of the sample is provided. Additionally, through the use of AMOS and structural equation modeling, research hypotheses are tested. Data analysis reveals all values significantly impact at least one attitudinal construct. The values of food novelty and food safety had the greatest influence positively impacting attitudes toward farmers’ market design perceptions and local foods quality perceptions. All three attitudinal constructs positively impacted consumers’ word-of-mouth communications regarding the farmers’ market. Additionally, attitudes toward farmers’ market social perceptions and local foods quality perceptions positively impacted consumers’ purchase intention. Consumers’ attitudes toward the quality of the local foods offered at the farmers’ market had the greatest influence on purchase intention and word-of-mouth communications. The study concludes with a discussion of limitations as well as the potential of the limitations to serve as springboards for future research. Implications for local foods producers, farmers’ market managers, and Extension educators working with local foods producers and consumers are presented

PB1662 Turning Personal Resources into Income

Version 10.

PB1662 Turning Personal Resources into Income

Version 10.

Different Definitions and Great Expectations: Farmers\u27 Market Consumers and Local Foods

Farmers\u27 markets and local foods are popular among today\u27s consumers. Despite this popularity, researchers have only begun to fully understand the farmers\u27 market consumer. The study discussed in this article involved a sample of 485 farmers\u27 market consumers from across the United States and was designed to provide a better understanding of how farmers\u27 market consumers define the term local food and what characteristics these consumers expect from local foods. Differences among the definitions and characteristics relative to demographic variables were explored. The article concludes with marketing considerations for producers and market managers and implications for Extension professionals

Are We Listening to Our Limited-resource Audiences? Engaging Parents and Caregivers with Nutrition Messaging in Extension Programs

Social marketing campaigns can be an effective method for reaching and engaging limited-resource participants in health messages related to nutrition and physical activity. The target audience should be engaged throughout the process of message identification and creation. This study included focus groups with limited-resource caregivers to help identify information sources utilized, nutrition messages most likely to resonate, and preferred communication channels. Nine focus groups with 108 limited-resource caregivers were conducted. Most participants were between the ages of 21 and 44, with a majority receiving SNAP benefits. All participants were female with over half identifying as white. Two researchers coded focus group transcripts and identified themes. Participants expressed interest in nutrition particularly as it impacted children in their care. Nutrition information sources included family, health care professionals, and television celebrities. Participants expressed interest in practical nutrition content delivered through simple messaging. Communication channels frequently utilized included social media, posters in community agencies, and television news. Findings offer insight for nutrition professionals in creating and marketing nutrition messages that are competitive, accessible, and resonate with limited-resource caregivers

Skill Up Tennessee: Job training that works

Employment and training services offered through Extension are part of and continue a long tradition of policy-focused employment and job training. This paper chronicles the successes of UT Extension’s work as a third-party partner in the delivery of workforce development programming geared toward individuals receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The paper begins with an overview of the federal program and a discussion of how Tennessee forged a state-level partnership for the delivery of workforce services. Data showing program success including number of participants served, supportive services offered, and economic impact are highlighted. Finally, lessons learned are outlined

Developing a Marketing Mind-Set: Training and Mentoring for County Extension Employees

Marketing the county Extension program is a critical responsibility of the entire county staff. This article describes a unique peer-to-peer training and mentoring program developed to assist county Extension staff in improving marketing skills and successfully developing and implementing a county Extension marketing plan. Data demonstrating success of this program are presented. Additionally, best practices for states wishing to create a similar peer-to-peer program conclude the article

Nutrition Education in Food Pantries: Perceptions of Pantry Personnel towards Implementation

Extension programming can be effective at delivering nutrition education to food pantry clients. This study aimed to understand the perceptions of food pantry personnel towards nutrition education. A mixed methods survey was administered to food pantry personnel (n=53). Most (62.3%) reported their food pantry was church-affiliated, and few (22.6%) reported any Extension collaboration. Qualitative themes included perceptions that nutrition education was resource intensive, clients were not interested in nutrition education, and differing attitudes towards nutrition education. When working with food pantries, Extension should educate personnel about the importance of nutrition education, offer resources, and facilitate programming

Cost of Care Conversations: Perspectives from Rural Health Care Providers and Older Adult Patients

Older adults often struggle with health care costs. Cost of care (CoC) conversations are conversations between health care providers and patients to discuss direct and indirect costs associated with health care. These conversations have been found to increase patient compliance, but patients and health care providers often do not have these discussions. This article describes a project to provide Extension education to encourage CoC conversations for older adults and health care providers in rural counties in a southern state. To inform educational material development, 125 older adults and 51 health care providers completed surveys about their cost-related barriers to health care, attitudes and frequency of CoC conversations, and preferred educational methods. Older adults reported that they were most comfortable discussing health care costs with physicians and pharmacists but that health care providers rarely initiated these conversations. Health care providers indicated that they were comfortable talking about health care costs with patients and reported that they often initiate these conversations. Both older adults and health care providers indicated fact sheets as a top educational method. This project demonstrates how Extension educators can partner with health care providers to educate older adults about communicating cost-related challenges and needs

Integrating Policies, Systems, and Environments (PSE) Work into FCS Extension Programming: Lessons Learned from a Multi-State Training

Public health efforts have emphasized changes to policies, systems and environments (PSEs) to improve health behaviors for individuals and communities. Extension has increasingly emphasized these approaches, particularly for work of Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) agents. In part, this emphasis on PSEs in Extension has been driven by SNAP-Ed and other federally funded initiatives, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) High Obesity Programs (HOP). However, broader adoption and implementation of PSEs at the local level has lagged in some states for various reasons. These include limited understanding about PSE interventions and how this work fits with a traditional Extension emphasis on direct education. To address these issues, faculty and specialists from two states receiving funding in the CDC’s first HOP round planned, designed, and implemented a face-to-face, multi-state, multi-institution PSE training for FCS agents. This paper describes the multi-state training effort, barriers to PSE work in Extension, and offers best practices and implications for others seeking to provide similar training