Just where does local food live? Assessing farmers' markets in the United States Dissertation PDF
Preview Just where does local food live? Assessing farmers' markets in the United States Dissertation
Just where does local food live? Assessing farmers’ markets in the United States Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Justin Lane Schupp, The Ohio State University 2014 Dissertation Committee Andrew Martin, Adviser Rachel Dwyer Randy Hodson Copyright by Justin Lane Schupp 2014 Abstract Participation in the local food movement has grown dramatically in the United States with the farmers’ market being one of its most widespread and heavily promoted forums (Gillespie 2007). Movement proponents have hailed this shift from “conventional” food production as a tactic that introduces more environmentally sustainable and socially just outcomes for society. In this light, proponents have argued that the interactions and transactions that occur at farmers’ markets benefit market participants, but, more importantly, have broader benefits for the neighborhoods they are located in and for society itself (Lyson 2007). Quite differently, research on food deserts, places that have limited to no access to the conventional food system and high levels of poverty, has documented these areas to be plagued by numerous social ills at both the individual and neighborhood level. For example, an extensive body of research has shown that the individuals living in these areas have diets that deviate substantially from what is considered to be nutritional and that neighborhoods, on average, have worse health outcomes compared to neighborhoods not considered to be food desert. While the effects of living in a food desert are fairly well known, much less is known about the efforts to alleviate the situation. One such proscription that has been suggested to contribute to better food access in food deserts has been the previously mentioned local foods movement, particularly its farmers’ market tactic. ii The promise of benefits by the local food movement to society generally and to food deserts specifically raises several important questions, notably: where are farmers’ markets located and who has access to them? While the movements popularity and tactical development has been lauded in the media and academia, few works have examined farmers’ markets locations nationally and little evidence exists to systematically describe the neighborhoods they are in or the individuals that live close by. This dissertation begins this conversation by examining the efficacy of the farmers’ market, the flagship facet of the local foods movement, is at reaching its stated goals, particularly the cultivating the access for the democratization of food access. Using data from the USDA and US Census, this dissertation examines the local foods movement broadly and its relationship with food deserts. The first analysis explores the location of farmers’ markets areas across several geographic measurements, including at the national, region/division, and at the census tract levels. The second analysis conducts multivariate logistic analysis to investigate where farmers’ markets are founded in the US using several identifying characteristics of the individuals living around a market and characteristics of the neighborhood itself. The last analysis investigates how often farmers’ markets are in founded in food deserts by examining the historical record of each phenomena, in addition to analyzing contemporary cross sectional data. The analyses have several interesting findings. At the individual level, analysis suggests significant social, educational, economic and racial differences exist between those living in a farmers’ market neighborhood when compared to neighborhoods that do iii not. For example, despite not being as white of a movement as critics have suggested (Guthman 2012), farmers’ markets are almost exclusively a middle to upper-middle class phenomenon. Additionally, several neighborhood variables are found to significantly influence the likelihood of where a farmers market may be present, including a neighborhoods’ SES status, the quality of neighborhood infrastructure, the average participation rate in social support programs, the location of a neighborhood on the urban to rural continuum, and the prevalence of poverty. For example, farmers’ markets are very unlikely to be found in neighborhoods with lower than average socio-economic statuses indicators, crumbling infrastructures, in certain segments of the US, and, somewhat paradoxically, rural areas. The last analysis suggests that although much press and praise is given to the promise of farmers’ markets alleviating food deserts that, overall, they rarely cross paths. Neither of the historical records of farmers’ markets and food deserts suggests that we should expect significant overlap between the two. Statistical analysis offers more evidence about this in that farmers’ markets are infrequently found in areas that are considered food deserts. This research contributes to our understanding of how social movement outcomes by examining the avenues and potential limitations that grassroots movements negotiate while ensuring their stated goals are reached. Specifically this research contributes to illuminating the present state of the local food outlets, while proposing several questions about food accessibility for individuals located in food deserts and food oases. iv Acknowledgements It is hard, and probably impossible, to appropriately thank everyone that has given me support, guidance, and love during this process we like to call graduate school. However, I guess a way to begin is through the acknowledgements page presented here. I am almost certain that I will forget someone that deserves to be included in this. Please know that this is an error that was not on purpose, but rather left out in the heat of the moment. I promise I will make it up to you later. Without further ado: I’d like to acknowledge and show my appreciation to . . . Carly - Geez, where do I even begin? As cliché as it sounds, you really are my rock. Without your love and support I am pretty sure I would have given up in those first nine months that we lived in Columbus. But look at us now! Mid-Westerners, and actually enjoying our time here. I appreciate all the wonderful support when I was down, the healthy meals when I would ate cheese pizza and french fries, and the love you have transferred my way. Thanks for taking a chance and moving to Ohio with me. I trust in what I know about you, and cannot wait to learn what I do not. v Zackery and Lukas - To my little guys, my hope is that one day each of you looks back on this you can read this and know that both of you were incredibly instrumental to me being able to reach completion. Each of you has put my life in perspective. You give me the courage to finish what has up to this point been the biggest challenge in my life. Your laughter, smiles, and love motivated me to never give up. Thank you, Zman and LuLu! Andrew – to you good sir! As my advisor, you have helped me navigate through the good and the bad of graduate school. I appreciate your timely advice, conversation in your office, and ability to deal with my idiosyncrasies. I am happy that I am joining you on the other side of the dissertation wall, but I look forward to continuing our mentorship. Prost! Rachel and Randy – a thousand thank you’s! You rounded out my dissertation committee perfectly and each contributed significantly. Rachel, I appreciate you kicking my butt with hard questions, and not letting me punt on them. This dissertation, and this emerging scholar, have benefited greatly for it. Randy, I appreciate you keeping the bigger picture in mind for me. While I found myself lost examining one tree, I could count on you bring my focus to the bigger picture. I feel that this dissertation is stronger and more applicable because of that. Thanks to you both! Mom and Steve – Thanks for avoiding the dreaded question of every almost done graduate student hates to answer, “When will your dissertation be done?” I finally have an answer for you even though I am waiting for you to ask. I also appreciate everything vi that you have done for me, Carly, and the boys over the last seven years. We could not have made it without you. To my fellow graduate students – Way too much appreciation towards my fellow emerging scholars to be able list them here. I plan on finding each of you and thanking you in person. However, I’d like to single out a few folks right now and tell them that I appreciate their help along the road. Tip of the hat towards Ryan Brooks, Marty Kosla, Matt Schoene, Chris Keenan, Rachel Durso, and Michelle Oyakawa. Lastly, what I would like to call my miscellaneous category – not because you are miscellaneous, but one would be hard pressed to find a common link between you outside of the fact that I know you. Please know that each of you have been important to me towards completing my graduate training, but also in becoming an improved human being. First, the Clintonville Dads Group – I might get in trouble with the law if I mention too much about us (kidding), but this group has been instrumental to keeping my head straight, teaching me to become a better father, and being the most excellent outlet for frustration and fun. To the ‘Roo Crew – Same introduction as the Dads group, but you have also been there for me over the last six years while getting to enjoy some of the choicest music in our fair land. To one Steve Lopez – I kinda sorta was super jealous when I first met you and realized that you played hockey. Now, I am kinda sorta jealous that you score goals at ease on me still. I also appreciate your willingness to be the point guard of our mega-101 section, the chats in your office that smells like dude and has the greatest orange couch in Townshend, and your general openness with me. Lastly, to Doug Downey, Kristi Williams, and Deb Wilson – I appreciate all of your great help vii when it came to developing as a teacher. Each of you played a significant role in me being able to get to where I am today in the classroom. viii Vita 2005. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B.S. Sociology, Colorado State University 2009. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . M.A. Rural Sociology, The Ohio State University 2008-2009. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Graduate Associate, Department of Human Resources and Development, The Ohio State University. 2009-2013. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Graduate Associate, Department of Sociology, The Ohio State University Publications Schupp, Justin, and Jeff Sharp. 2012. “The Social Bases of Home Gardening.” Agriculture and Human Values 29(1): 93-105 Fields of Study Major Field: Sociology vi
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