Analysis of the Family Markets in Puerto Rico, 2014

Abstract

This study examined the operation and impact of the establishment of Family Markets (FM) in Puerto Rico. Family Markets and Agricultural Markets (AM) stand out as two recent ways to market food in Puerto Rico. The FM have been established as a variant of agricultural markets and are the result of an initiative of the Department of Agriculture of Puerto Rico and the Department of the Family of Puerto Rico. The initiative was supported by the US Department of Agriculture, which is responsible for administering funds for the Nutritional Assistance Program (NAP). The purpose of the initiative was to provide NAP participating families with access to fresh produce. Interviews with the manager, farmer-vendors and consumers involved in the FM initiative were conducted. According to this study, the FM created 307 jobs in the agricultural phase and at the point of sales. The FM has had a positive impact on participating farmers as well as on others who are not part of the FM because they sell their produce to participant farmers to fulfill consumer demand. Participating farmers indicate that 96.6 percent of what is produced on the farm is sold in the FM. Through this program, participating consumers can develop the habit of eating fresh-high quality food (the additional money allocated to NAP participants must be used in FM). This initiative promotes an increase in food production, especially by small farmers in Puerto Rico.