idaho agriculture

Idaho’s Poor Missing Out on Federal Farmer’s Market Program

By Sharon Fisher, 9-23-08

Idaho is one of only four states that is not participating in a $22 million Federal program intended to help poor people eat more fresh fruits and vegetables by receiving coupons they can use at farmers’ markets.

Representatives from a number of Idaho farmers’ markets are attending an all-day Idaho Hunger Summit next month in order to urge Idaho state government to participate in the program, which helps both seniors and women and children.

According to the US Department of Agriculture, the Farmers Market Nutrition Program was established by Congress in 1992, to provide fresh, unprepared, locally grown fruits and vegetables to participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), and to expand the awareness, use of and sales at farmers’ markets. In fiscal year 2007, 2.3 million WIC participants received farmers’ market benefits; in fiscal year 2006, 2.5 million WIC participants received benefits.  For fiscal year 2008, $19.86 million was appropriate by Congress for the FMNP; for fiscal year 2007, $19.8 million was appropriated.

The Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program is a similar program intended for low-income seniors, generally defined as individuals who are at least 60 years old and who have household incomes of not more than 185% of the federal poverty income guidelines. In 2006, these products were available to 825,691 low-income seniors from 14,575 farmers at 2,911 farmers’ markets as well as 2,323 roadside stands and 260 community supported agriculture programs. Congress authorized $15 million for the SFMNP through 2007.

The FMNP is administered through a Federal/State partnership in which the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) provides cash grants to State agencies. The FMNP is administered by State agencies such as State agriculture departments or health departments or Indian Tribal Organizations. State agencies develop plans to operate the program that are approved by FNS. Eligible WIC participants are issued FMNP coupons in addition to their regular WIC food instruments, which can be used to buy fresh, unprepared fruits, vegetables and herbs from farmers, farmers’ markets or roadside stands that have been approved by the State agency to accept FMNP coupons. The farmers, farmers’ markets or roadside stands then submit the coupons to the bank or State agency for reimbursement.

The Federal food benefit level for FMNP recipients may not be less than $10 and no more than $30 per year, per recipient. However, State agencies may supplement the benefit level. For example, the state of Washington proposed adding $254,000 for Senior FMNP and $100,000 for WIC FMNP to the state budget earlier this year. The state of Montana does not appear to add state funds. Northwest states receiving funds from the program include $57,353 for Montana, $304,934 for New Mexico (plus $6,337 and $8,666 for two tribal agencies), $366,722 for Oregon, and $589,859 for Washington. Colorado, Nevada, and Utah did not participate in 2007.

Nutrition education is provided to FMNP recipients by the State agency, often through an arrangement with the local WIC agency. Other educators and program partners may provide nutrition education and/or educational information to FMNP recipients, such as Cooperative Extension Programs, local chefs, farmers or farmers’ markets associations, and various other non-profit or for-profit organizations may provide nutrition education to FMNP recipients. These educational arrangements help to encourage FMNP recipients to improve and expand their diets by adding fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as educate them on how to select, store and prepare the fresh fruits and vegetables they buy with their FMNP coupons.

Reportedly, Kim Polzin and Christy Perry from the Idaho State Department of Agriculture are interested in bringing these programs to Idaho and in helping farmers’ markets implement them, with a pilot program planned for next year. They will be speaking about it at the Idaho Hunger Summit, an all-day program scheduled for Friday, October 10 at the Doubletree--Riverside in Boise. It costs $75.

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