FULTON FRESH: FARMERS, FAMILIES AND BEYOND

Mattee, M.1; Von Baker2; Dr. Laurie Murrah-Hanson3; Katherine Delp4; Kristen Sumpter5; Amanda Pencek6; Phyllis Cain7; Deborah Mallory8
1Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent, University of Georgia, East Point, GA, 30344
2County Extension Coordinator, Fulton County Cooperative Extension, East Point, GA, 30344
34-H Agent, Fulton County Cooperative Extension, Atlanta, GA, 30305
44-H Agent, Fulton County Cooperative Extension, College Park, GA, 30337
5Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, Fulton County Cooperative Extension, East Point, GA, 30344
6SNAP-Ed Supervisor, Fulton County Cooperative Extension, East Point, GA, 30344
7SNAP-Ed Program Assistant, Fulton County Cooperative Extension, East Point, GA, 30344
8SNAP-Ed Program Assistant, Fulton County Cooperative Extension, East Point, GA, 30344

Abstract:

In the metro-Atlanta area, 79% of its 53 urban farms generate the majority of their revenue through farmers markets (FoodWell Alliance Baseline Report, 2017). However, despite the increase in demand for fresh, local food, farmersstruggle to attract a diverse demographic at these markets. Though 22 of these farms are in Fulton County, there is a distinct lack of local food availability in western and southern regions of the county. Many of these areas have been labeled as food deserts using criteria developed by the USDA. Food deserts are characterized by increased presence of unhealthy, national food chains, and severely limited access and awareness to fresh and nutritious food sources. The Fulton Fresh Mobile Market, a model based on free produce awarded to those whoattend nutrition courses, is a prime vehicle to mobilize urban farmers and promote healthy local food sources in low income areas. The Fulton Fresh Mobile Market continued its Featured Farmer program during summer of 2019. This engaged urban producers by featuring one unique local crop grown by a farmer within 15 miles of Atlanta, or available for purchase at accessible locations in Fulton County. Additionally, the mobile market partnered with a distributor at the State Farmers Market who specializes in locally and Georgia Grown produce, furthering its mission to support the local economy as muchas possible. Throughout the ten-week summer season of the Fulton Fresh Mobile Market, a total of 36,975 pounds of fresh produce were distributed to a total of 2,568 Fulton County residents. Each of these bags of produce contained one unit of a locally grown Featured Farmer item, totaling 425 poundsof local metro-Atlanta produce distributed. All six farmers stated they were not aware of the resources Cooperative Extension had to offer, and have repeatedly made use of our services since participating in this program. Instead of just seeing farmers once a year for soil tests, Fulton County Extension has received thirty two agricultural diagnostic samples in 2019 alone including weed identifications, insect identifications and recommendations, and plant disease diagnoses.

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