Abstract

A community initiative to develop and sustain a farmer's market can address insufficient access to fresh and affordable fruits and vegetables for individuals working and residing in a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) designated food desert. This project addressed a particular USDA food desert in South Wood County, Wisconsin. The purpose of this project was to develop and plan for implementation and evaluation of a community-supported farmers market in South Wood County, with the goal to increase access to fruits and vegetables. Project objectives included development of a sustainable community infrastructure to support the market, development of policies and guidelines for creation and sustainment of the market, and development of implementation and evaluation plans for the overall market initiative. In collaboration with an interdisciplinary project team of community stakeholders, the above objectives were met and necessary products and plans were developed to direct the initiative over a 5-year period, with long-term evaluation planning extending to 10 years. The plan has been validated by external scholars with content expertise in the area, approved by the project team, and formally endorsed and approved by the Wood County Health Department. The market initiative has been approved for establishment in the community for the 2015 market season. Rooted in the socioecological model, a community supported farmers market can be a key catalyst for positive social change by improving the health of underserved populations who lack access to fresh, affordable fruits and vegetables. By using existing evidence relevant to the population's needs, the market will address disparities surrounding food access and affordability in a rural community affected by food desert conditions.

Author Details

Carrie Lynn Engelbright, DNP

Sigma Membership

Tau

Type

DNP Capstone Project

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Other

Research Approach

Translational Research/Evidence-based Practice

Keywords:

Rural Areas, Food Desert, Farmers Market, Community Support, Socioecological Model, Public Health

Advisor

Eric Anderson

Second Advisor

Edna Hull

Third Advisor

Jonas Nguh

Degree

DNP

Degree Grantor

Walden University

Degree Year

2015

Rights Holder

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All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

Peer-review: Single Blind

Acquisition

Self-submission

Date of Issue

2015-11-12

Full Text of Presentation

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