Farm to Fridge: Assessing Need and Availability of Underutilized Refrigeration in Rural Grocery Stores for Use by Fruit and Vegetable Farmers

This research used a mixed-method study approach (Creswell, Klassen, Plaano, & Smith, 2011) to gain a better understanding of the postharvest refrigeration/cold storage needs of Minnesota fruit and vegetable farmers. There were three main methodological components in this research process, which included 1) four in-depth produce farmer interviews, 2) a produce farmer survey on cold storage needs and usage, and 3) a rural grocery store survey that explored availability and interest in cold storage leasing relationships with farmers. Information gained was shared and will continue to be shared back with the targeted audience to and will aid future educational Extension outreach.

1. Produce Farmer Interviews (February 2019 - May 2019)

Four in-depth farmer interviews and additional individual conversations with farmers were held in Spring 2019. Initially, the Farm to Fridge project proposed to host three in-person focus groups with farmers to better understand research question one, “What are the economic and logistical barriers small and mid-size Minnesota fruit and vegetable farmers face due to a lack of refrigeration.” However, due to a number of factors, including research restrictions from the COVID pandemic, the focus groups were not held. The farmer interviews, however, provided sufficient data to be triangulated with other data collection methods (the produce farmer survey and the rural grocery store survey). 

This produce farmer interview portion of this research project used a qualitative phenomenological approach to gain a better understanding of beginning farmer experiences with one central phenomenon, refrigeration. The role of phenomenological research, according to Creswell and Poth (2018), is to “reduce individual experiences with a phenomenon to a description of the universal essence.” A rigorous phenomenological approach allows the research to describe four beginning farmer experiences with refrigeration. 

The participants included four beginning produce farmers located in Minnesota (see table). For the purpose of this study, the term “beginning” aligns with the USDA definition as someone who has operated a farm for less than 10 years. Participants who met the criteria of beginning farmer were solicited through an open call with the use of the University of Minnesota Small Farms Team network, recommendations from Extension Educators who work directly with beginning farmers, and through the UMN sustainable agriculture “Sustag” listserv (sustag[at]lists.umn.edu). 

Participants were compensated for their time through a $25 stipend, provided by the NC-SARE Graduate Research Grant. An interview protocol was developed and reviewed by the project team, farmer advisor, and UMN DES 8103 course instructor Dr. Marilyn Bruin ahead of the interviews. The first question, “Can you tell me about your farm and your experience with farming” was intentionally broad and served to “open the floodgates,” a method described by Rubin and Rubin (2012, p. 123) with the goal to “obtain a broad overview that suggests what needs to be explored in depth later.” For the first interview, the second question was “What is your experience with refrigeration on your farm?” After completing the first interview, I made the decision to move what had been question #4, “What challenges or barriers do you face with your farm and farm business?” to be the second question. This gave an opportunity for the farmers to talk more broadly before centering on the topic of refrigeration. All other questions remained in the same order for all three interviews. Interviews were recorded using the application “VoiceRecorder” and field notes were taken by the PI to help describe the interview setting and capture initial data.

All interviews were transcribed verbatim and verified through a second listening to check the recording against the transcript, ensuring that no content was omitted. The first and second interviews were recorded and transcribed by the PI, word for word, using “Express Scribe,” which allowed for the recording to be slowed down to ensure accuracy and efficiency while transcribing. The third interview, also recorded, was transcribed using a free version of the online transcription service, “Temi.” The results of the online transcription were verified, word-for-word, against the interview recording twice. Personally identifying information, such as city names and names of the farmer participants, were excluded to ensure confidentiality.

The printed transcripts were used for thorough and complete data analysis. A modified version of the “Data Analysis Spiral” process outlined by Creswell & Poth (p.186, 2018) was followed, which included: 1) becoming immersed in the data through data organizing; 2) developing a coding system (see Appendix B) and assigning codes by analyzing the data for significant statements surrounding the central phenomenon of refrigeration; 3) revising the codes for the building of categories through the use of a data matrix program, “MindMup” (see Appendix E); 4) assessing interpretations and looking for deviant cases through re-reading the transcripts/codes/categories to build subcategories; 5) developing the categories into emerging themes; 6) reassessing the themes through a final review of the data; and 7) writing a final analysis with a discussion of findings and representing the themes in a concept map (see Figure 3). A hierarchy was assigned (Yin, 2016) with major emerging themes defined as those present across all three interviews, and minor themes as present in at least two of the interviews. The framework of sustainability was used to help identify patterns and relationships as they related to the three content areas of society/community, economics, and environment.

2. Produce Farmer Survey (December 2019 - January 2020)

The Produce Farmer Survey was created and analyzed using Qualtrics. Based upon feedback and input from the project team, the survey was shared with MN farmers via the internet and promoted through partner groups and online social media platforms (this included the Sustainable Farming Association newsletter, Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships regional email lists/Extension website, RSDP Extension’s Twitter and Facebook accounts, through UMN Extension Educator news channels, and in the UMN Small Farms Newsletter). The open survey was administered from December 2nd, 2019 through January 25th, 2020 and received 70 responses. The farmer survey aimed to gather information about current postharvest handling techniques, including use of refrigeration and need for access to cold storage, which helped identify farmer understandings of barriers. Survey questions included: 

• • Are you a produce farmer?
  • To what markets do you currently sell? (please select all that apply)
  • Do you use refrigeration or cold storage for the purpose of selling produce? (any type)
  • Please describe the type of cold storage/refrigeration used on farm (please select all that apply)
  • How old is your refrigeration/cold storage? 
  • Why does your farm NOT use cold storage/refrigeration for produce? (please select all that apply)
  • How does your farm decide how much cold storage/refrigeration is needed?
  • Where do you find information on building/buying cold storage/refrigeration? (please select all that apply)
  • Do you wish your farm had access to more cold storage?
  • How would increased access to cold storage/refrigeration impact your farm/the farm you work on? (please select all that apply)
  • Would access to OFF-FARM cold storage/refrigeration be useful to your farm? (e.g. renting unused cold storage space from the fairground, grocery store, school, etc in your community)
  • How likely are you to increase the amount of cold storage used?
  • How many years have you grown produce for sale?
  • What percentage of your household income comes from fruit/vegetable sales?
  • How many total acres do you grow produce on?
  • Do you plan to expand your farm operation in the next 5 years?
  • Your zip code
  • Do you have any comments or suggestions? 
    

3. Rural Grocery Survey (May 2019 - January 2020; Data Analysis May2020 - July 2020)

From May 2019 to October 2019, the project team worked with the University of Minnesota Extension - Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP), partners, and stakeholders to administer the 2019 Rural Grocer Survey, an updated and expanded version of the first 2015 Rural Grocer Survey.

The project team, working with the University of Minnesota Center for Survey Research, used methods based on “Mail and Telephone Surveys” by Don A. Dillman. The survey was mailed to 250 stores located in towns fewer than 2500 people (following the USDA definition of “rural”) in a 10x13 envelope (due to the survey content and length of 80 questions/20 pages it was printed into a stapled booklet form), with a cover letter printed on RSDP letterhead and a $2 bill included as a “thank you.” Reminder postcards were sent two more times, and follow up calls were made to rural grocers who had not yet responded. The survey received a 55% response rate, with 129 grocer responses (response rate = completed questionnaires/ (total sent - eliminated). 

As part of the Farm to Fridge SARE funded project, co-PI Olive included several specific questions on in-store cold storage/refrigeration. The questions included: “We have learned that refrigeration capacity and equipment are issues in many rural grocery stores. Please answer the questions below for each refrigeration system that you have in your store;” “If all regulatory issues were addressed, would you consider leasing some of your refrigeration space to local farmers or local food processors? (this question included space for comments);” “Have you turned away any farmer selling locally grown and/or processed foods because you were uncertain about the regulations for purchasing food directly from farmers?” The purpose of these questions were to explore grocer interest in the “Farm to Fridge” model. 

To connect more deeply with grocers, the 2019 Rural Grocer Survey included an outreach component, a separate bright yellow comment card that allowed grocers to write check marks next to items on which they wanted follow-up from the project team. The comment cards also provided space for the grocer respondents to fill out their contact information so that the project team could follow up on specific questions that were asked in the larger survey. Questions relevant to the Farm to Fridge project included: “I would like help connecting with local farmers to buy products (fruits and vegetables, meat and cheese, or other local food items) for my store;” “I am willing to have my store serving as a “cross-dock” meeting point between local farmers and my regular wholesale supplier;” and “I am interested in learning more about the possibility of a side business where produce/products from multiple local farm are combined at my store.” Answers to these questions were mapped geographically using google maps to show distribution and to serve as a tool for Extension staff to use when sharing Farm to Fridge results with farmers