IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i18p11390-d911570.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mobile Produce Market Operations: Adaptations, Barriers, and Future Directions for Increasing Food Access

Author

Listed:
  • Anne E. Lally

    (Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA
    Department of Anthropology, The College of Arts and Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14261, USA)

  • Alban Morina

    (Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA)

  • Leah N. Vermont

    (Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA)

  • Jill N. Tirabassi

    (Department of Family Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA)

  • Lucia A. Leone

    (Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA)

Abstract

Background: Mobile produce markets were increasingly recognized as an effective and accepted approach to improving access to fruits and vegetables in lower-income and at-risk communities during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. This study provides insights into how mobile market operations were impacted by, and evolved in response to, challenges posed by the pandemic. Methods: A survey evaluating impacts of the pandemic on mobile markets was distributed to a database of mobile market operators in the United States. Respondents were asked to describe impacts to their mobile market’s operations, and what adaptations were needed to continue to effectively serve their communities during 2020. Results: Surveys representing 48 unique mobile markets were collected from March to July 2021. Of the respondents, 63% reported an increase in demand for mobile market services from community members. Furthermore, 65% increased the amount of produce they distributed in 2020 as compared to 2019, often through adopting low or no-cost models or participating in pandemic government programs. Discussion: Emergency adaptations employed by mobile markets can inform long-term operational modifications for not only mobile markets, but also other food access programs, beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Anne E. Lally & Alban Morina & Leah N. Vermont & Jill N. Tirabassi & Lucia A. Leone, 2022. "Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mobile Produce Market Operations: Adaptations, Barriers, and Future Directions for Increasing Food Access," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-16, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:18:p:11390-:d:911570
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/18/11390/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/18/11390/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jones, Jordan & Toossi, Saied & Hodges, Leslie, 2022. "The Food and Nutrition Assistance Landscape: Fiscal Year 2021 Annual Report," Amber Waves:The Economics of Food, Farming, Natural Resources, and Rural America, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, vol. 2022(Economic ), June.
    2. Toossi, Saied & Jones, Jordan W. & Hodges, Leslie, 2021. "The Food and Nutrition Assistance Landscape: Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Report," USDA Miscellaneous 313475, United States Department of Agriculture.
    3. Marilyn Sitaker & Jane Kolodinsky & Weiwei Wang & Lisa C. Chase & Julia Van Soelen Kim & Diane Smith & Hans Estrin & Zoe Van Vlaanderen & Lauren Greco, 2020. "Evaluation of Farm Fresh Food Boxes: A Hybrid Alternative Food Network Market Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-25, December.
    4. Mejia, Angie & Bhattacharya, Manami & Nigon-Crowley, Amanda & Kirkpatrick, Kelly Rae & Katoch, Chandi, 2020. "Community Gardening During Times Of Crisis: Recommendations For Community-Engaged Dialogue, Research, And Praxis," SocArXiv 6587c, Center for Open Science.
    5. Lucia A. Leone & Sheila Fleischhacker & Betsy Anderson-Steeves & Kaitlyn Harper & Megan Winkler & Elizabeth Racine & Barbara Baquero & Joel Gittelsohn, 2020. "Healthy Food Retail during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Future Directions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-14, October.
    6. Mackenzie J. Ferrante & Juliana Goldsmith & Sara Tauriello & Leonard H. Epstein & Lucia A. Leone & Stephanie Anzman-Frasca, 2021. "Food Acquisition and Daily Life for U.S. Families with 4- to 8-Year-Old Children during COVID-19: Findings from a Nationally Representative Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-15, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Toossi, Saied & Jones, Jordan W., 2023. "The Food and Nutrition Assistance Landscape: Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Report," Economic Information Bulletin 337564, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    2. Coleman-Jensen, Alisha & Rabbitt, Matthew & Gregory, Christian & Singh, Anita, 2022. "Statistical Supplement to Household Food Security in the United States in 2021," Amber Waves:The Economics of Food, Farming, Natural Resources, and Rural America, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, vol. 2022(Administr), September.
    3. Jones, Jordan W. & Toossi, Saied, 2024. "The Food and Nutrition Assistance Landscape: Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Report," Economic Information Bulletin 344130, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    4. Coleman-Jensen, Alisha & Rabbitt, Matthew P & Gregory, Christian A & Singh, Anita, 2022. "Statistical Supplement to Household Food Security in the United States in 2021," Administrative Publications 327331, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    5. John P. Casellas Connors & Mastura Safayet & Nathanael Rosenheim & Maria Watson, 2023. "Assessing changes in food pantry access after extreme events," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 40(2), pages 619-634, June.
    6. Baldwin, Katherine & Williams, Brian & Turner, Dylan & Tsiboe, Francis & Raszap Skorbiansky, Sharon & Sichko, Christopher & Jones, Jordan W. & Toossi, Saied, 2024. "U.S. Agricultural Policy Review, 2023," Economic Information Bulletin 349026, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    7. repec:ags:aaea22:335690 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Toossi, Saied & Todd, Jessica E. & Guthrie, Joanne & Ollinger, Michael, 2024. "The National School Lunch Program: Background, Trends, and Issues, 2024 Edition," Economic Information Bulletin 347312, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    9. António Raposo & Fernando Ramos & Dele Raheem & Ariana Saraiva & Conrado Carrascosa, 2021. "Food Safety, Security, Sustainability and Nutrition as Priority Objectives of the Food Sector," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-4, July.
    10. Catherine Nkirote Kunyanga & Morten Fibieger Byskov & Keith Hyams & Samuel Mburu & Grace Werikhe & Rawlynce Bett, 2023. "Influence of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Market Prices and Food Supply in Urban Markets in Nairobi, Kenya," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-20, January.
    11. Sylvain Charlebois & Mark Juhasz & Janet Music, 2021. "Supply Chain Responsiveness to a (Post)-Pandemic Grocery and Food Service E-Commerce Economy: An Exploratory Canadian Case Study," Businesses, MDPI, vol. 1(2), pages 1-19, July.
    12. Matthew J. Landry & Kim Phan & Jared T. McGuirt & Alek Ostrander & Lilian Ademu & Mia Seibold & Kathleen McCallops & Tara Tracy & Sheila E. Fleischhacker & Allison Karpyn, 2021. "USDA Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Vendor Criteria: An Examination of US Administrative Agency Variations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-21, March.
    13. Emad B. Dawwas & Karen Dyson, 2021. "COVID-19 Changed Human-Nature Interactions across Green Space Types: Evidence of Change in Multiple Types of Activities from the West Bank, Palestine," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-21, December.
    14. Jung Sun Lee & Vibha Bhargava & Travis A. Smith & Temitope Aiyejorun Walker, 2022. "The effects of aging services and the supplemental nutrition assistance program on food insecurity among older Georgians: 2018–2020," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 44(2), pages 635-652, June.
    15. Li Li & Yiting Dong & Wen Shuai, 2024. "Navigating Epidemics: the Interplay of Risk Perception, Information Diversity, and Healthy Eating Behaviors During the COVID-19 Pandemic," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(3), pages 14521-14545, September.
    16. Coleman-Jensen, Alisha & Rabbitt, Matthew P & Gregory, Christian A & Singh, Anita, 2021. "Household Food Security in the United States in 2020," Economic Research Report 327186, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    17. Aparna Katre & Teresa Bertossi & Abigail Clarke-Sather & Mary Parsatoon, 2022. "Agroecological Transition: A Territorial Examination of the Simultaneity of Limited Farmer Livelihoods and Food Insecurity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-26, March.
    18. repec:ags:aaea22:335676 is not listed on IDEAS
    19. Cattivelli, Valentina, 2022. "The contribution of urban garden cultivation to food self-sufficiency in areas at risk of food desertification during the Covid-19 pandemic," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    20. Toossi, Saied, 2021. "COVID-19 Working Paper: Filling the Pandemic Meal Gap: Disruptions to Child Nutrition Programs and Expansion of Free Meal Sites in the Early Months of the Pandemic," Administrative Publications 327342, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    21. Y. Zhao & C. Huang & J. Luo, 2022. "How to Prepare for the Next Pandemic -- Investigation of Correlation Between Food Prices and COVID-19 From Global and Local Perspectives," Papers 2211.15515, arXiv.org.
    22. Hamid El Bilali & Lawali Dambo & Jacques Nanema & Sheirita Reine Fanta Tietiambou & Iro Dan Guimbo & Romaric Kiswendsida Nanema, 2023. "Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Agri-Food Systems in West Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-23, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:18:p:11390-:d:911570. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.