Vancity Community Foundation Farmers’ Market Impact Toolkit Pilot

Vendor Survey – Indicators of Food Security, Biodiversity, and Local Economic Impact

Thanks for your participation. This survey should take 10-15 minutes. Your responses can be anonymous, and they will contribute to a valuable picture of the role of the market in your local economy, and the viability of local food economies that include farmers’ markets and other farm direct sales channels. If you are willing to discuss any of your answers, or provide follow-up information, please complete the identification info on the last page.

  1. Location (postal code) of farm/production facility:
  1. How many farmers’ markets do you participate in?
  2. What other farmers’ markets do you participate in?
  1. *REQUIRED: Product(s) sold at the market: (please check all that apply)

__a. Farm products (incl. plants, produce, eggs, honey, flowers)

__b. Prepared/Processed Foods(incl. jam, meat, dairy, fish, baked goods)

__c. Hot/Concession Food

__d. Arts/Crafts

__e. Services/Other(incl. music, entertainment)

  1. Do you produce all of the products you sell? (Make, Bake, or Grow)

__ Yes__ No

  1. This question will help create a picture of the local economic impact of the market, and will help farmers know whether the market is a feasible source of income. Either $ or %responses are fine.
  2. How much is your total annual income? $or 100%
  3. How much of that is "off-farm" income, or income you earn from work not contributing to farming, ranching, food production, or producing for market sales?(No need to indicate the source of off-farm income.) $ or %:
  1. How many indirect work hours are created by the market each week? (i.e. Estimate how many of your weekly hours of farm/craft work, and market staffing and preparation, are spent for this market by your household/staff. This does not include time spent at the market or traveling to/from the market.)

hours per week

  1. What age(s) is/are the primary farmers/producers in your operation?
  1. *REQUIRED: Is the market a community hub? How does it add (or detract) value in the community? What impact has the market had on your lifestyle, values, or business/social relationships?(This question is asked to all toolkit participants, including local businesses and customers.)
  1. *REQUIRED: Please indicate the extent to which you agree/disagree with the following statements.(This question is asked to all toolkit participants, including local businesses and customers.)

Strongly Disagree / Disagree / Neutral / Agree / Strongly Agree
The farmers market provides access to good quality, fresh food.
The farmers market provides opportunities to learn about how food is produced.
The farmers market provides valuable connections to other community activities (e.g. community service, local politics, neighborhood events; for vendors, customers, or others).
Shopping at the farmers market builds trusting relationships between vendors and customers.
The farmers market is a good place to meet my friends.
The farmers market is a good place to meet friends that I don’t usually see elsewhere.
The farmers market is a good place to form new friendships and/or relationships.
Buying at the farmers market has a positive impact on the local economy.
Buying at the farmers market supports sustainable agricultural practices.
The farmers market feels welcoming to all people.
Customers can reliably find what they are looking for at the farmers market.
The farmers market is a destination for good entertainment.
Strongly Disagree / Disagree / Neutral / Agree / Strongly Agree
  1. The goal of this question is to determine who in the larger community contributes most to your success at the market. Community is an important factor in how farmers, vendors, and the market are successful. Think of up to 5 people you have a close relationship with in relation to the market – this could be fellow vendors, people who help you prepare for the market off-site, or people you interact with at the market itself. Apart from yourself, who are the people you most rely on when it comes to your success at the market? You don’t need to give their names; please indicate the category below in which each of these people falls.

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Vancity Community Foundation Farmers’ Market Impact Toolkit Pilot

Vendor Survey – Indicators of Food Security, Biodiversity, and Local Economic Impact

  1. Business partner
  2. Spouse
  3. Family
  4. Market staff
  5. Market volunteer
  6. Fellow vendor
  7. Neighbour
  8. Food producer in another region
  9. Processor
  10. Non-farming/producer friend
  11. Customer
  12. Municipal or Civic representative
  13. Financial representative
  14. Teacher
  15. Industry non-profit association
  16. Certifier (e.g. Organic certification organization)
  17. Supplier (e.g. feed supplier, equipment sales)
  18. Faith leader
  19. Other: ______

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Vancity Community Foundation Farmers’ Market Impact Toolkit Pilot

Vendor Survey – Indicators of Food Security, Biodiversity, and Local Economic Impact

  1. Rank the following sales channels in order of importance to your farm/business (Rank from 1-7, 1 being most important and 7 being least important. Please mark options you do not use with “N/A”):
  2. ____ Farmers’ market(s)
  3. ____ CSA (Community Shared Agriculture) shares
  4. ____ Direct to retail
  5. ____ Direct to restaurants
  6. ____ Farm stand sales (including delivery and direct salesto friends/neighbors)
  7. ____ Wholesale sales
  8. ____ Auction
  9. ____ Other (please indicate): ______
  1. Please choose the top three ways in which participation in the farmers’ market adds value to your farm/business. (Choose up to three.)

Sales Volume

Branding/Marketing/image

Market insights (knowing product demand)

Building customer relationships

Meeting other vendors

Building distribution networks

Other (please describe):

  1. What value does contact with other vendors provide?
  1. Please list some unique or unusual products you produce.

The remaining 4 questions will contribute to a picture of food security in the region.

  1. *REQUIRED: Please indicate which of the following you produce (circle all that apply):

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Vancity Community Foundation Farmers’ Market Impact Toolkit Pilot

Vendor Survey – Indicators of Food Security, Biodiversity, and Local Economic Impact

Vegetables

Fruit

Meat /Poultry

Honey/Dairy/Eggs

Other/Plants

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Vancity Community Foundation Farmers’ Market Impact Toolkit Pilot

Vendor Survey – Indicators of Food Security, Biodiversity, and Local Economic Impact

  1. Which of the following agricultural practices do you follow on your farm?

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Vancity Community Foundation Farmers’ Market Impact Toolkit Pilot

Vendor Survey – Indicators of Food Security, Biodiversity, and Local Economic Impact

Traditional/Conventional

Native

Heirloom or heritage

Non-GMO

Organic (Certified)

Organic Principles (incl. Transitional)

Biodynamic

Hothouse

Hydroponic

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Vancity Community Foundation Farmers’ Market Impact Toolkit Pilot

Vendor Survey – Indicators of Food Security, Biodiversity, and Local Economic Impact

  1. Is your farm/ranch certified by any of the following?

No (None)

Yes, Organic

Yes,Biodynamic

Yes, Transitional

Yes, Other (please specify):

  1. Why have or haven’t you pursued certification(s)?
  1. *REQUIRED:This question is about how much land you cultivate/manage, to understand the level of food security and its relationship to the farmers’ market.
  1. How much total land do you cultivate or pasture?acres
  2. Do you own or lease this land?

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Vancity Community Foundation Farmers’ Market Impact Toolkit Pilot

Vendor Survey – Indicators of Food Security, Biodiversity, and Local Economic Impact

Own the land

Lease the land

Own the crop

Lease the crop

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Vancity Community Foundation Farmers’ Market Impact Toolkit Pilot

Vendor Survey – Indicators of Food Security, Biodiversity, and Local Economic Impact

  1. Of your product from the total land from part (a), how much is exported or sold out of your local community? You may answer in acres or % of (a).

Acres or %

  1. What does “local” mean to you?
  1. How much of your total land from part (a) produces for sales at this farmers' market? You may answer in acres or % of (a).

Acres or %

  1. If you had access to more land, could you use it for production?

Yes, I would like to produce more.

No, I am at capacity now.

  1. *REQUIRED: This question is about how much of the local food economy is connected to the farmers’ market, and will help determine the impact and feasibility of the market in the local food system. Either % or $ are fine.
  1. How much was your farm revenue from 2011?

$or 100%

  1. How much of your total farm income came from local sales of product?

$ or %

  1. How muchof your total farm income came from sales at this farmers' market?

$or %

  1. How much of your total farm income came from the following local sales channels:
  2. CSA shares:……………………..$or %
  3. Restaurant direct sales: …...$or %
  4. Farm stand sales: …………….$or %
  5. Local retail: ……………………..$or %
  6. Other local sales: …………….$or %

Thank you!

Please consider providing the following optional identifying information, if you are willing to further discuss your responses.

Stall/Business name:

Your name:

Contact info (phone and/or email):

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