Impact of Red Stick Farmers Market estimated at $6.8 million

Nearly half of the vendors at the Red Stick Farmers Market make at least half of their income at the weekly events, a study found.

Riverbend Research, the consulting arm of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, and the Big River Economic and Agricultural Development Alliance, which operates the farmers market, collected 178 survey responses from market attendees on why they choose to shop there and collected financial information from vendors. The study, presented at Tuesday's Downtown Development District Commission meeting, found that 44% of vendors would have to search for new work if they did not sell at the Red Stick Farmers Market.

About 20% of surveyed vendors get 50% to 74% of their total income from the markets, and 27% of surveyed vendors garner 75% to 100% of their total income from t