CitySeed: Increasing Farmers Market Sales Through Pilot Consumer Education Campaign

Commodities

Practices

• Farm Business Management: farmers' markets/farm stands
• Sustainable Communities: local and regional food systems

CitySeed’s Increasing Farmers
Market Sales Through Pilot Consumer Education Campaign project
aims to address the challenge faced by Connecticut’s farmers
markets and participating farmers, who see significant drops in
sales outside the peak summer market season due to a lack of
consumer education regarding seasonal specialty crops and how to
prepare them. This project will utilize a consumer education
campaign strategy to raise awareness of these crops through
recipe cards, cooking demonstrations, market vendor engagement,
and digital marketing methods to increase demand for and sales of
seasonal specialty crops.

This project seeks to:

1. Analyze the impact of the CT
   Farmers Market Seasonality Consumer Education Campaign on
   consumer awareness, purchasing, and consumption of seasonal
   specialty crops;
2. Evaluate the effectiveness of
   the CT Farmers Market Seasonality Consumer Education Campaign
   in increasing access to and sales of specialty crops;
   and
3. Assess the role of the CT
   Farmers Market Seasonality Consumer Education Campaign in
   supporting year-round market participation by local
   farmers. 

1. Analyze the impact of the CT Farmers Market Consumer
Education Campaign on consumer awareness, purchasing, and
consumption of seasonal specialty crops.

CitySeed aims to educate a total
of 20,000 consumers about seasonal specialty crops—approximately
18,000 adults and 2,000 children. This will increase the
familiarity of these crops for a significant number of
market-goers.

This anticipated increase in
consumer knowledge and subsequent interest will also drive
demand, benefiting farmers by expanding their customer base and
raising the profile of the crops they produce. Any heightened
awareness will also create a deeper connection between consumers
and the local agricultural system, promoting food
sustainability.

2. Evaluate the effectiveness of the CT Farmers Market Consumer
   Education Campaign in increasing access to and sales of
   speciality crops.

An increased demand for seasonal
specialty crops provides an opportunity for farmers to produce
and distribute more of these crops at year-round markets and
beyond. CitySeed aims to impact 150 farmer partners to increase
their crop production and distribution. 

We expect that approximately 15%
of the 20,000 educated consumers—or 3,000 individuals—will then
go on to purchase and consume these specialty crops, resulting in
an additional $90,000 for our farmer partners. 

3. Assess the role of the CT Farmers Market Seasonality
   Consumer Education Campaign in supporting year-round market
   participation by local farmers.

With the creation and
distribution of seasonality campaign materials, as well as the
hosting of off-season cooking demonstrations, and the expected
increase in consumer education and sales, CitySeed aims to
encourage the participation of local farmers in year-round
markets. 

Reliable sales are important to
maintaining a stable income stream for our farmer partners and
for ensuring fresh local produce to our communities throughout
the calendar year. Consistent market attendance also helps to
increase the viability and sustainability of our local markets,
ensuring both farmers and community members can rely on them for
this critical connection.