A Participatory Model for Evaluating a Multilevel Farmers’ Market Intervention

Background: Well-designed evaluation is necessary to document the impact of farmers’ markets (FMs) on health, economic, and community outcomes. However, the complex nature of FMs poses challenges for evaluation.

Objective: Our goal is to describe a participatory, multilevel framework used to evaluate a FM implemented at a federally qualified health center (FQHC) in a rural community in the Southeastern United States.

Methods: An iterative, collaborative process involving three feedback loops was used to engage community stakeholders in the development, implementation, and utilization of the multilevel evaluation plan.

Lessons Learned: A participatory approach helped to navigate the complexities of evaluating FMs and promoted stakeholder engagement. The evaluation became a core element of the intervention that informed continuous quality improvement (CQI). The development of strong university– community partnerships facilitated the ongoing use of results.

Conclusions: The evaluation framework presented may be used to promote community engagement and rigor for evaluation of future FMs.