Analysis and Reporting

Depending on who is leading a research effort, the approach to data analysis may look a little different. Like almost everything about a farmers market, when examining the data it is best to use a collaborative and open process. The responsibility of analyzing the data can be shared with university researchers or municipal or agency partners. When working with partners, markets should also keep a copy of the raw data and ask for all analysis and reporting to acknowledge the partnership of the market community.

 Farmers Market Metrics Training Materials

Farmers Market Metrics Training Module 5: Analysis and Reporting, describes how to to interpret farmers market data, understand the basics of descriptive and longitudinal research, and how to appropriately examine data. It also includes a few examples of reports and the appropriate uses for each.

Beginning in 2013, FMC worked with managers, food policy analysts, and public health researchers with funding from the Knight Foundation, to create one-page summaries that clearly displayed a dozen metrics. The markets reported back on the usability of those summary reports, with the feedback incorporated into the larger Farmers Market Metrics work. In 2015, FMC will work with the markets included in the Indicators for Impacts project to assist in the creation of summary reports using the data they collected over the summer and fall.