Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition ProgramBy: Megan Dicken

Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program

• Providing healthy food options to low income seniors

How does the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) work?

Seniors use coupons at farmers markets and roadside stands and community

supported agriculture programs

States provide coupons to low income seniors

The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program awards grants to states

What is the purpose of SFMNP?

• Providing low income seniors with a variety of fresh, local healthy foods

• Providing seniors with an opportunity to interact with the community

• Providing farmers with income from their sales to seniors

What constitutes low income?

• Seniors (age 60 and up) of not more than 185% of the Federal poverty income guidelines (USDA, 2012)

• These guidelines are published every year by the Department of Health and Human Services

What are the benefits of SFMNP?• Seniors enrolled in SFMNP receive:• Coupons to spend at farmers markets on fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods• Education and information about healthy nutrition• Benefits of healthy nutrition• Adding fruits and vegetables • Storing fruits and vegetables• Preparing fruits and vegetables

How does the government operate SFMNP?• Each State is responsible for administration of it’s

own SFMNP benefits• Each State submits a yearly plan to the federal

government to qualify for SFMNP• The plan should include• How the State will start the program• How the State will run the program, including

how different vendors can qualify for the program, and what products can be purchased with the coupons

Continued…

• The State will give out coupons to the seniors who qualify for them

• When a vendor receives a coupon they can turn it into the bank or the State for funds

• The Federal benefits of SFMNP are between $20 and $50 per year

• States may use 10% of their funds for administration

Where does SFMNP operate?

• In 2011, 51 State and Federally recognized Indian tribal governments received grants•The states who have not applied for grants• Colorado, Delaware, Missouri,

Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, South Dakota, North Dakota

The numbers…

• In 2011 •863,097 people were served by SFMNP•19,069 farmers/farmers’ markers were served•3,445 roadside stands were served

References:• U.S. Department of Agriculture, (2012). Senior

farmers' market nutrition program. Retrieved from website: www.fns.usda.gov/wic/SFMNP-Fact-Sheet.pdf