Alachua County aims to boost local farmers markets with short-term improvements, marketing and grants—hoping to build momentum for a long-term goal of opening a locally-sourced grocery store.  

The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) voted on Tuesday to reallocate $100,000 in small farmer grants to be used by farmers markets in the county. The vote comes after a survey of eight markets conducted late last year and collecting 338 responses (56 from vendors and 282 from visitors).  

In the survey, vendors said the biggest challenge is low customer turnout, and the Alachua County Farmers Market (now at San Felasco Tech City), the Grove Street Farmers Market and the Haile Farmers Market were the most frequently visited.  

The majority of farmers market visitors are high-income earners, with 61% reporting a household income of over $75,000. And 71% of the survey’s respondents were 45 years old or older.  

The respondents listed purchasing fresh, locally-grown produce, supporting local businesses and connecting directly with farmers as their primary reasons for attending.  

On the vendor side, 39% reported that they are new businesses, and 29% of them have been operating for 10 years or more. Vendors listed shade structures and better signage as needs, along with financial assistance to expand market opportunities. 

Commissioner Anna Prizzia said the survey quantifies what a lot of people know anecdotally from attending markets and knowing vendors. With that information, she said Alachua County can take the next step to create a strong local food chain.  

“To me, like the logical response to this, if we’re going to make investments in infrastructure around farmers markets, is to look at the farm stop model that I sent you all,” Prizzia said.   

The farm stop model would mirror antique stores with booths for different vendors or even a small grocery store, with produce in one section and other goods grouped together. Farmers could drop off their produce and leave, with just staff to operate a centralized checkout.  

The first benefit, Prizzia said, is that the model allows farmers and makers to continue their work instead of sitting and waiting for customers.  

“And number two, it gives us the opportunity to have a grocery-like market, a green Roger type market, that people can shop at during regular business hours like they would any other grocery store,” Prizzia said.  

Prizzia said the county would need the city of Gainesville as a partner and noted that the city has $3 million in community reinvestment area funds already dedicated to a grocery store in East Gainesville.  

She said a farm stop model off Hawthorne Road would help meet food needs in that area, along with eastern Alachua County. It’s not the ideal dream of a national grocery store that many have, Prizzia said, but it could fill the gap and lead to more.  

As for location, Prizzia and Commissioner Marihelen Wheeler discussed the abandoned grocery store off Hawthorne Road and SE 24th Street. The site used to be a Food Lion before closing in 2012. The storefront sits vacant after several failed attempts to reuse the space.  

Prizzia said, despite the for-sale sign, the owner (Industrial Corporation Inc. out of the Fort Lauderdale area) has been unwilling to negotiate a reasonable deal.  

“You have to have a willing seller, and it’s almost as if the seller is not really that much of a willing seller,” Prizzia said. “It almost seems like they kind of want to hang onto it.” 

An alternative would be to build a new facility at Gainesville’s Eastside Health and Economic Development Initiative (EHEDI) across the road. The site already has a UF Health urgent care facility and planned bus depot.  

Commissioner Ken Cornell said he sees the food systems discussion as having short- and long-term goals. He said the county can quickly boost farmers markets with advertising and infrastructure improvements through grants.  

He said partners will join the effort to help with the long-term goals of opening a permanent store stocked with local produce.  

“If we can implement some of the recommendations, improve marketing, improve infrastructure at these farmers markets, what we’re going to find is that the willing folks that really see the long-term vision are going to emerge in this local community if we’re investing in local businesses, local food providers, local vendors, which is, I think, a real focus of this board,” Cornell said.  

The commissioners unanimously approved a three-part motion to increase marketing and short-term improvements, to reallocate the $100,000 small farmers grant to farmers markets and to collaborate with the city of Gainesville on the farm stop model. 

The grant program would be for the 2026-2027 fiscal year that starts in October.