Farmers market fans have long argued that markets de- liver a “triple bottom line” as they benefit food producers, consumers and the larger community. While anecdotal evidence indicates that public markets are indeed a source of widespread public good, little formal research has tested this hypothesis. With funding from the Ford Foundation, marketumbrella.org assembled a research team, developed
the measurement instruments, established relationships with NGOs and farmers markets in the global
North and South, and conducted research designed to
test the hypothesis that:
Appropriately managed and resourced, public
markets build social cohesion as they improve local food security, public health, and the economic
well-being of farmers and communities as a whole.