Farmers Market Audit Tl These measures are designed t rate the nutritin envirnments f farmers markets and prduce stands acrss a variety f gegraphic and incme settings. There are ther establishments that may ffer fd prducts t purchase that fall int an exclusins categry (see belw) and may be enumerated but nt necessarily rated. Hwever, based n yur survey purpses, yu may decide t set different exclusin criteria. Fr ur purpses, a farmers market is a cmmn facility r area where several farmers r grwers gather n a regular, recurring basis t sell a variety f fresh fruits and vegetables and ther lcallygrwn farm prducts directly t cnsumers. This wuld include but is nt limited t farmers markets, radside stands, curbside markets, tailgate markets, etc. The utlet des nt necessarily have t sell lcal prduce. This des nt include CSAs (Cmmunity Supprted Agriculture) r buying clubs. Exclusins 1. Establishments nt pen t the general public, r thse where yu have t pay a charge just t enter. 2. Establishments that fcus n a variety f fds, have a clsed space such as grcery stres, super centers. 3. Organizatins that require a membership such as Cmmunity Supprted Agriculture (CSA). 4. Fd cperatives, such as cperative grcery stres. 5. Small rad side stands with nly ne vendr selling fd. Befre beginning the audit, please make sure yu cntact the market manager s that he/she is aware f the prject. The basic principle f these measures is t gather infrmatin n cmparable items acrss farmers markets within and between gegraphic areas. General Cmpletin Tips - Remember t fllw the tips belw t decrease data cleaning time later. 1. Write legibly. 2. Check yur wrk. 3. Use the crrect line/bubble. Preparatin - At the tp f each page, fill in the fllwing:. Auditr ID. Market ID Cver Page - On the cver page, fill in the fllwing:. Start time (when yu enter the market). End time (when yu have finished the measures and reviewed them fr cmpleteness) 1. Page 1: Cnduct farmers market turs between 7 am and 10am, unless the market is nly pen in the afternn. (This helps t ensure that items have been stcked fr the day and are nt sld ut.) Indicate name f auditr (yur name), yur ID, date and time f day audit was cnducted, and name and address f the farmers market. 2. Page 2: Cmplete the sectin n seasnality and business hurs f market, as shwn in the example.
Vendr Sectin 1. Cunt the number f ttal vendrs within the space f the farmers market (All type f fd r prducts being sld). A vendr is a stand/table fr ne prducer r farmer. If the prducer/farmer has mre than ne table, nly cunt this as ne vendr. If there are vendrs selling fd utside the designated space, d nt cunt these vendrs. This infrmatin can be gathered by walking the market and cunting each vendr/ seller. Please cunt vendrs selling fresh prduce, meats, cheeses, breads, but d nt cunt vendrs selling prepared fds, snacks, r meals. 2. Nw cunt the number f vendrs selling prepared fds, snacks r meals. 3. Cunt the number f unique vendrs that sell fruits r vegetables. These vendrs may als sell ther prducts but if they are selling fruits and/r vegetables, als include them in vendr selectin #3. 4. Fr each vendr, cunt the number f unique fruits and vegetables being sld. If tw types/ varieties f tmates (e.g., vine-ripened and cherry tmates) are being sld, cunt each type f tmat s that wuld be tw. If greens are being sld, cunt each type f green, such as kale, rmaine lettuce, cllards: that wuld be three. If there are three different varieties f lettuce (e.g., Bibb, Rmaine, and Red Leaf lettuce), that wuld be three. D nt cunt rganic and cnventinal as tw separate varieties. Fr example, if there is rganic spinach and cnventinal spinach, that wuld be ne. D nt cunt prcessed fruit r vegetable such as dried fruit, jam, jellies, fruit pies, r vegetable quick breads such as zucchini bread. Yu can use the space under the table t take ntes. Availability Befre recrding any infrmatin, first lk fr the listed item. If the listed item is nt available, write dwn the name f the mst cmparable item n the Alternate line. Fr example, if ht huse tmates are nt available but heirlm tmates are available, indicate ther variety (e.g., heirlm) n the Alternate line. If an item is sld ut, write sld ut in the Available (y/n) sectin and recrd any available infrmatin. Cntinue dwn the list until an item is available r the list has been exhausted. D nt include plants in the audit. If a tmat plant is available this des nt cunt as the tmat being available. Only include fd items that are ready t eat in their current frm.
Measurement Prcedures Prduce Sectin Find all the vendrs selling each fruit r vegetable item. Lk fr the fruit r vegetable listed. If it is available, wartie yes in the Available (y/n) bx. Yu nly need t recrd if it s available at the market. If the item is nt available and there is a line belw it fr an alternate item, lk fr the cheapest similar alternate. Write it dwn and write yes next t it. Fr example, if there are n ht huse tmates, but there are cherry tmates, white Cherry n the line belw ht huse tmates. If there are n Red delicius apples and Gala apples are the cheapest alternate, write Gala n the line belw Red delicius. If the vegetable r alternate is available, mark yes. If it is nt available, mark n. If the item is sld ut, write sld ut and recrd the available infrmatin. If the fruit is available but mixed with ther fruit in a cntainer, mark n fr available but nte the fruit cup cntents, price and size in cmments. Recrd hw many vendrs are selling this particular vegetable item. (Prvide slash marks f 4 straight lines and then the fifth draw thrugh.) Recrd the quality f the item by marking A fr acceptable r UA fr unacceptable. Acceptable = peak cnditin, tp quality, gd clr, fresh, firm and clean Unacceptable = bruised, ld lking, mushy, dry, verripe, dark sunken spts in irregular patches r cracked r brken surfaces, signs f shriveling, mld r excessive sftening The rating is based n the majrity (>50%) f vegetables r fruits. If it seems difficult t decide whether t mark A r UA, mark UA and describe in cmments. If the market yu are auditing has ther fruits r vegetables that are nt n the list that yu wuld like t recrd, include up t three fruit and 3 vegetable items in the rws labeled Other Fruit r Other Vegetable. In this sectin include vegetables r fruits that have been canned, but d nt include jams, jellies, r salsas. Only if the prduce has been minimally prcessed fr canning, and nt made int anther fd prduct. Repeat the steps abve fr the fruit items listed. After cmpleting the infrmatin fr the fruit items, cunt the number f vegetable and fruit items that are marked yes under available, and recrd the ttal.
Meat Sectin Find any vendrs that are selling prk, grund beef, chicken, r fish. Chse ne vendr fr each meat prduct that has the lwest prices. Fcus n unprepared meats. If it is pre-seasned r pre-marinated, cunt this prduct. Prk Find the vendr wh is selling prk lin at the lwest price. Lk at price per pund. If available, mark yes. Find the vendr wh is selling prk lin pastured at the lwest price. If available mark yes. Indicate the number f ttal vendrs selling prk lin. If there are n vendrs selling this item, indicate nne. Grund Beef Fr the healthier ptin, lcate the lean grund beef with less than r equal t 10% fat. If available, mark yes. Chse the package f lean grund beef clsest t ne pund. Indicate if the beef is cnventinal, r grass-fed by marking yes in the apprpriate bx. If n lean grund beef with less than r equal t 10 % fat is available, mark n. Fr the regular ptin, lcate the standard grund beef with > 10% fat. Repeat steps abve. If there is n label fr fat cntent, write n label in the clumn fr availability. Recrd the number f vendrs selling that each prduct. Chicken Find any vendrs that are selling skinless chicken breast r whle chickens. Select the vendr selling chicken fr the lwest price. If available, mark yes. Indicate the number f vendrs selling skinless chicken breast r whle chickens that are cnventinal and the number that are pasture raised. Indicate if the chicken is chicken breast r whle chicken. If there are n vendrs selling this item indicate n. Fish Find any vendrs that are selling shellfish, whle fish, r fish that has been sliced. D nt include prepared fish r canned. If available, mark yes. Indicate the type f fish r shellfish under type. If there are many types f fish, select the cheapest fish per pund. Chse ne fish vendr that has the lwest price per lb r per z. Indicate the number f vendrs selling fish. If there are n vendrs selling this item indicate n. Recrd in the cmments bx if the fish is farm-raised. Cheese Sectin Find the vendrs selling cheese. Chse the vendr with the lwest selling price f gats cheese. If they dn t sell gats cheese chse anther type f cheese (cw s milk r feta) and write in the line prvided fr the alternate the type f cheese. Indicate availabilty and number f vendrs selling cheese. Indicate if they prvide nutritin infrmatin fr their cheese prducts with yes/n n line prvided. Indicate if they ffer lwer calrie versins with yes/n n line prvided. Recrd if there are ther types f cheese being sld in the far right clumn.
Eggs Sectin Find all vendrs selling eggs. Chse the vendr with the lwest selling price fr a dzen eggs. If there is n vendr selling a dzen, chse the vendr that is selling the lwest price fr ne egg. Indicate availability and number f vendrs selling eggs fr bth regular and free range eggs. Breads and Grain Prducts Sectin Find all vendrs selling bread. Indicate n the frm availability and number f vendrs selling white bread d nt include breads with any fd in them, such as strawberries, cranberries, raisins. Include in this categry nly if bread is made frm enriched flur and it is nt whle grain, wheat, rye, r ther dark bread. Indicate availability and number f vendrs selling sweet breads (banana, zucchini, pumpkin, ther). Include in this sectin such breads that may have strawberries r ther fruits in them. Indicate n the frm hw many vendrs are selling whle grain varieties f bread, such as wheat, rye, r ther darker breads. Samples Sectin In the samples sectin, list hw many vendrs are ffering any fd samples. Such as salsa with chips, cheese, apple slices. In the next sectin list hw many vendrs are ffering fruit r vegetable samples. Such as apples, blueberries, tmates, r brccli. In the last table, write in the space prvided what type f vendr (such as fruit vendr) and then describe the ingredients fr the sample. Pricing If yu wish t assess fd prices at the market, here are sme ideas: If price is nt available, ask smene at the vendr stand. Wait until all f the measures have been cmpleted befre asking the price f the items that are needed. Be sensitive t vendrs needs t sell prducts and thus d nt interrupt a vendr frm a custmer interactin. Recrd the lwest price f all the vendrs selling that item. D nt use a sale price unless it is the nly price psted and write sale price in cmments. Recrd the regular price f the fruit. Always chse the pund t price if there is an ptin. Write the quantity (#) f the fruit that is listed fr the price. Fr example, if the sign says 2 fr $1.00, write 2 fr the quantity. If the sign says 3 lbs fr 99, write 3 fr the quantity. If the fruit is nt lse but packaged (e.g., pint r cntainer), cunt the quantity as 1 and write the quantity f the package in cmments. Indicate if the price f the fruit is calculated by the piece r pund by marking pc r lb. Fr example, if the sign says 2 fr $1.00, mark pc fr piece. If the sign says 3 lbs fr 99, mark lb fr pund. If packaging is ther than pc/lb (e.g., per pint r bunch), mark pc and nte under cmments.