Wholesale produce markets (often referred to as "wholesale markets" while some are called "terminal markets") are facilities where multiple fresh produce wholesalers are co-located, primarily for the purposes of selling to retailers, institutions, and other buyers. These markets play an essential role in the food supply chain, creating market opportunities for local and regional producers and ultimately expanding consumer access to fresh produce. The physical infrastructure, operational complexity, and reliance on transportation networks, however, create unique challenges for these markets. To better understand these challenges and assess the needs of wholesale produce markets, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has partnered with several research teams to produce the reports and materials found below.
Together, these projects fill critical gaps in understanding for wholesale produce markets, local and regional governments, and other stakeholders.
Wholesale Produce Market Infrastructure
Executive Summary (pdf)
In 2023, Cornell University, with support from AMS and the National Association of Produce Market Managers (NAPMM), conducted a project to understand the infrastructure investments needed by U.S. wholesale produce markets. This consisted of a survey to understand the current state of wholesale produce market infrastructure across the country, and interviews for more in-depth understanding of these responses and data. The project findings suggest that most wholesale produce markets require at least some major infrastructure investments, and that most require very significant investments. The interviews revealed common themes about the effects of obsolete infrastructure impacting business efficiency, compliance with food safety certifications, maintaining product quality and functional utilities, space for growth, and centralizing food business services.
To learn more about each of these themes, view the Wholesale Produce Market Infrastructure Full Report (pdf), check out the infographic (pdf), or visit the Dyson Cornell Extension Bulletin listing.
Assessing Freight Network Performance & Resilience in Relation to Terminal Wholesale Produce Markets
Executive Summary (pdf)
In 2022, AMS partnered with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Volpe National Transportation Systems Center to conduct a multi-year investigation and analysis into the relationship between regional wholesale terminal produce markets and the transportation networks that serve them. The project team conducted interviews and discovered strikingly consistent views: regional transportation networks were not part of terminal market operation managers’ core responsibilities or concerns, and that metropolitan planning organizations and state freight plans do not consider wholesale markets as key generators of freight traffic nor as stakeholders . Instead, most plans focus on traditional freight facilities like corridors, ports, and intermodal connectors. To illustrate the benefits of incorporating market managers into public sector plans, two case studies were conducted at terminal markets in Los Angeles, CA and the St. Louis, MO. The case studies showed how concentrated dependence on a handful of highways can expose supply chains to risk from hazards, closures, or other causes. There is a shared interest in maintaining reliable regional transportation access, even if this alignment is not always apparent.
This research, alongside the report above, help fill critical gaps in understanding how these markets operate within businesses and regional network context.
To learn more about this research and vulnerability assessments, view the full report here (pdf).
Agriculture Freight Transportation Planning Playbook
A Guide for Wholesale Terminal Produce Markets
The Planning Playbook (pdf)
The transportation networks that connect these terminal markets to agricultural regions play a vital role in supplying fresh produce across the country. AMS created a guide, The Agricultural Freight Transportation Planning Playbook (pdf), to help terminal produce market managers navigate the transportation planning process at various levels of government. This playbook consists of a basic overview of the transportation planning process, recommendations for managers in navigating this process, a list of considerations to effectively collaborate with local and regional officials, and additional resources.
Resources for Wholesale Terminal Produce Market Managers
- Agricultural Freight Transportation Planning Playbook (pdf)
- Wholesale Produce Market Infrastructure Infographic (pdf)
Resources for Public Agencies, Regional Planners
- Assessing Freight Network Performance & Resilience in Relation to Terminal Wholesale Produce Markets (pdf)
- Wholesale Produce Market Infrastructure Executive Summary (pdf)
- Assessing Freight Network Performance Executive Summary (pdf)
Updated: February 2026