At the 2012 Food Secure Canada National Assembly, Hannah Wittan and Mary Beckie report on a research project to investigate the social economy's role in scaling up sustainable food systems and in particular the role of Farmers Markets in fostering local consumption and production. Density of Farmers Markets is significant in helping farmers scale up their production. Vendors identified marketing, access to training and farmland as constraints. Mary Beckie then talks about farmer market clustering as a way to develop alternative food markets. Social relationships are important in building momentum and scale to farmer markets clusters.
Hannah Wittman is an Associate Professor, University of British Columbia.
Mary Beckie is Assistant Professor of Government Studies, Faculty of Extension, University of Alberta
