Public Health Farmers Market

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2014

The Catawba County Public Health Farmers Market opened May 5, 2013, in the parking lot at Catawba County Public Health to increase redemption of Women, Infants and Children (WIC) farmers market vouchers and improve community access to fresh produce in an area food desert. Operated by Catawba County Public Health staff, the market ran from 11:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Thursday for 24 weeks (May through October) and hosted 4,338 customers, with a weekly average of 181 customers and 6 farmers. Of the 415 customers surveyed at the market, 88.4% said the market helped increase the amount of fresh produce their family ate; for surveyed WIC clients, that number was 95%. Catawba County’s WIC farmers market voucher redemption rate increased from 51.29% (in 2012) to 62.88%, which was the third highest rate in the state. In addition, 75% of surveyed WIC clients said the market made it easier to redeem their farmers market vouchers; 47.58% said the market saved time in redeeming their vouchers; and 29.03% said it reduced the distance traveled to redeem their vouchers. Taken together, these results indicate the market’s location provided the convenience needed for WIC clients to redeem farmers market vouchers in higher numbers.