From Field to Plate: How Alabama Fruits and Vegetables Are Produced and Marketed and the Impact of Consumer Demand

  Producers have little indication as to what to grow in a coming year because of the lack of information between producers, grocers, and consumers within the state. The purpose of this project is to complete a comprehensive evaluation of the current and future state of the fresh fruit and vegetable supply chain in the state of Alabama. Different survey instruments will be developed to gather the data from consumers, producers, and grocery store produce managers. Random sampling of consumers will be utilized to garner survey responses; however, purposeful sampling will be used to develop lists of potential producers and grocery store produce manager participants. Survey results indicating the current and future purchasing habits of consumers will then be used for the next two steps of the overall evaluation of Alabama’s fresh fruit and vegetable supply chain. Audiences that would benefit from this study include consumers, fruit and vegetable producers, and grocery store produce managers. If producers know what consumers are looking for, then they can meet this demand. Additionally, produce managers at grocery stores can work towards stocking produce desired by the public. Evaluating consumer demand is important for making sales, and knowing what consumers want can aid in that process.