Alachua County commissioners approve multi-part plan to boost farmers markets and food access

The Alachua County Board of County Commissioners on Feb. 3 approved a multi-part plan to bolster farmers markets and local food access after hearing results of a 2025 farmers market needs assessment.

The action directs staff to expand marketing for county markets, migrate the small-farm grant program to support farmers markets and market infrastructure in the upcoming budget year, work with the City of Gainesville to explore a ‘farm stop’ concept for East Gainesville and add the idea to a joint meeting agenda, pursue discussion of a community-gardens coordinator with IFAS/extension, and ask the county self-insurance committee to study a ‘‘food-as-medicine’’ benefit option. The motion was approved unanimously.

The board heard the findings from Bailey McClellan, Alachua County’s agricultural economic development coordinator, who said staff and partners collected a combined 338 responses to vendor and shopper surveys and that 282 responses came from shoppers. McClellan summarized shopper behavior and infrastructure priorities: “Top priorities included shaded and covered areas and easier parking,” McClellan said, adding that markets also serve shoppers who come to buy fresh produce and to support local businesses.

Jessica Hera, the county’s economic development director, told commissioners that staff can act quickly on marketing and on adjusting county grants: “We have small farmers grants. It’s about a $100,000 a year for, I believe, up to $5,000 per farm,” she said, and floated the idea of shifting some of that funding to support market-level investments—larger grants to markets rather than only individual producers.

Commissioners discussed short-, mid- and long-term approaches. One focus was a ‘farm stop’ model — a grocery-style consignment or staffed market open during regular business hours that would reduce the time burden on farmers while providing year-round access for customers. Commissioner Anna, who introduced the farm-stop idea, said the City of Gainesville currently holds $3,000,000 in CRA funds previously appropriated for an East Gainesville grocery and proposed the county explore pairing that financing with the concept.

Public commenters supported the plan and urged broader approaches. Rebecca Fox, a local farmer and recent small-grant recipient, told the board that shared marketing and staffed market spaces would help smaller operations: “It is so helpful to think about the things that all farmers need,” Fox said, describing the operational challenges of harvest, staffing and point-of-sale systems. Other commenters recommended linking markets to community gardens, seasonal-extension infrastructure like high tunnels, and coordinated purchasing programs.

Staff clarified timing and next steps: grant migration and program changes would be brought forward in the FY 26–27 budget cycle, staff will return with recommended grant application language and program structure, and the farm-stop concept will be added to a joint meeting with the City of Gainesville to further explore site, financing and partnership details. The board also asked staff to include IFAS/extension and community garden stakeholders in the joint discussion and to route the food-as-medicine referral to the self-insurance committee for research and recommendations.

The motion passed without objection. Staff will return to the board with recommendations and specifics during the budget and joint-meeting process.