April 2025 Issue
Community Matters: Connecting the Neighborhood Through Food
By Alyssa Smolen, MS, RDN, CDN
Today’s Dietitian
Vol. 27 No. 4 P. 8
Government Providing Farm to Table Benefits
Many people associate the warmer months with beach days, travel, sunny weather, and fresh seasonal produce that can be purchased at the grocery store or a farmers’ market. Starting in late April or early May (depending on your location), the US farmers’ market season begins. Patrons bring their canvas totes and stock up for the week on local fruits and veggies from vendors in their area. While many people use cash, credit, or even Venmo to purchase their produce, others can use the government-issued form of payment through the Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP).
Since 1992, those eligible for WIC have received fresh produce from farmers’ markets through the FMNP. This farmers’ market credit is in addition to regular WIC benefits and from June to November, individuals receive a specific allotted amount to spend at local farmers’ markets. The FMNP serves women, infants over 4 months old, and children 1 to 5 years old. Individuals can redeem their farmers’ market benefits at farms, farmers’ markets, and roadside stands. This program currently operates in 49 states, including Puerto Rico and American Samoa, and is administered at the state, tribal, and territorial levels. The FMNP is funded by Congress and federal funds support 100% of the food costs and 70% of the program’s administrative costs.1,2
Low-income seniors are also eligible to receive farmers’ market benefits and participate in the Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP). This allows low-income seniors access to locally grown herbs, honey, and fresh fruits and vegetables. These participants must not meet more than 185% of the federal poverty income guidelines and be at least 60 years of age. As of 2022, 57 state agencies, US territories, and federally recognized Indian Tribal Organizations received grants to operate the SFMNP.3
These government-funded programs are designed to encourage the consumption of local fresh produce, engage the community, and allow participants to have more food benefits.
PostCovid and Technological Innovations
Nearly 1.3 million WIC participants received FMNP benefits and 757,751 people received SFMNP benefits in 2022.4,5 Despite many individuals being eligible for benefits, many don’t redeem them. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, redemption rates have changed significantly. It has been difficult for facilities to track this difference, but many WIC managers and employees have seen a change since the pandemic. This might be due to altered relationships with farmers or fewer markets being open due to closings during COVID-19.
In recent years, technology has allowed individuals to redeem benefits electronically by using a QR code instead of being issued physical checks. This modernization was designed to streamline the process and theoretically make it easier and more convenient for clients to redeem their farmers’ market benefits. WIC nutritionists can issue the QR code directly to participants through a physical piece of paper or an electronic copy in PDF form. This allows WIC users to always have the QR code handy while carrying their cell phones and avoids the issue of individuals having to bring a physical voucher with them and having to remember to carry it on their way to the market. SFMNP users are given a QR code to utilize as well.
However, Chesney Blue, MPH, RDN, WIC program director for the City of East Orange, says, “I haven’t seen significant changes in redemption with the use of the QR code” and is not sure if it has been studied yet. Blue notes that the QR code helps the agencies track facility redemption on the program side. It also makes it easier for facilities to issue benefits.
Postelectronic introduction redemption rates have increased slightly in some states. “Arizona averaged 67% in 2023 and 70% in 2024 with the electronic hybrid model,” says Liv Light, Arizona farmers market nutrition program manager. Part of the reason for this might be due to increased spending. Not every state may have received increased funds, causing this to vary between states. “In 2024, by way of the Senior FMNP, WIC FMNP, and Match FMNP, over $650,000 was spent with Arizona farmers to get more fresh food on people’s tables—a 35% increase from the $480,000 that all three programs spent in 2023,” Light says.
Despite the technological advances, “redemption rates changed due to COVID. Local agency relationships with farmers [have] changed,” says New Jersey FNMP WIC Services Manager. In New Jersey, the state received an increase from $30 to $50 for participants and both New Jersey and Arizona were able to issue more FMNP benefits to clients. The simultaneous increase of FMNP amount and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic make it challenging to determine the cause of
the varying redemption rates.
Redemption and Farmers’ Market Challenges
Even though the QR code has modernized and streamlined the FMNP, many still face obstacles redeeming their farmers’ market benefits.
Redemption Confusion
Varied redemption rates might be due to individuals not knowing where they can redeem their farmers’ market benefits. If WIC offices or SFMNP distribution sites do not provide a list of local markets to their clients, that creates an early barrier for them.
Light reiterated how some recipients face “confusion on how to obtain coupons” and even miss participation deadlines which contributes to a lack of communication between clients and program coordinators.
Though the electronic QR code can be an asset for some, Blue suggests it poses issues for others and says, “it can be confusing to access [the QR code] on their phone if someone is not tech savvy.”
Geographical and Sociocultural Concerns
Some WIC participants don’t live close to the WIC office that they’re registered with due to appointment availabilities. This presents an issue for WIC staff, some of whom may only be familiar with the markets in that immediate area. It may already be challenging for an individual to make it to their in-person WIC appointments due to a lack of transportation or childcare restrictions, and adding the responsibility of finding a farmers’ market near them could feel overwhelming. As a result, vouchers can remain unused or are only redeemed at the end of the season when produce is not as robust and plentiful.
Depending on one’s geographical location, WIC participants face language barriers at their WIC office or at their farmers’ markets. Participants might not be given the correct information when informed about the FMNP, leaving them confused about the program. Some might feel intimidated or reluctant to redeem their vouchers at specific markets if vendors do not speak the same language.
Transportation Tribulations
Among other issues related to transportation, physical limitations pose concerns as well. “In cases where participants need to utilize public transportation, [they] are limited to how much produce [they] can carry, and if accompanied by children and the need to pick up other things, it adds to the challenge,” says the New Jersey FNMP WIC Services Manager.
Lack of Support and Communication Across Higher Ups
If WIC and SFMNP clients want to learn more about the program or other community partners are interested in collaboration with official offices, they might not contact the correct office. Some state offices only have staff working during the operating months of the FMNP. Phone lines and answering machines might not take messages during this time, meaning that in the off-season, collaboration efforts are halted. Also, not every state may be able to update the USDA website with staff changes or with new emails. Department emails may bounce back for this reason and prospective farmers and community outreach directors can’t get in contact before the season starts.
“These programs also lack adequate support for administrative and outreach expenses, which presents challenges to program sustainability and visibility,” Light says.
Blue reiterated this sentiment. “Social service programs like this are always in need of additional funding for infrastructure needs and resources to support staff development/training and to hire quality employees,” Blue says.
Lack of Funding
Despite encouragement from WIC staff, more community partners, and client-centered transportation efforts, one of the greatest barriers to redemption is simply the amount allocated to recipients. There can be more emphasis on FMNP redemption among the nutrition community, but it comes down to the incentive. Each FMNP/SFMNP participant makes their own choice when deciding to redeem their benefits. They must weigh the cost of going to the market, finding transportation, and physically carrying their produce back home. For some, the extra food benefits do not outweigh the perceived “hassle” or other barriers that inhibit them from participating in the FMNP. Even with all the outreach possible, many believe it comes down to the government funding issued. It is almost impossible to know how much a voucher would need to be for every eligible user to redeem their benefits.
With an increase in the cost of food and inflation, the FMNP amount that is allotted to FMNP users also may not stretch as far these days.
Ways Forward
The New Jersey FNMP WIC Services Manager suggests that counties and states should start “recruiting more farmers, encouraging collaborations with farmers and local agencies” to increase the redemption rate of participants. They can also create a collaborative relationship with external stakeholders like SNAP-Ed or community initiatives like “veggie vans” that can transport produce to specific pick-up locations and other sites.
Although there are actions that should be taken to improve redemption rates and communication between partners, the FMNP program has been a net positive. It has enabled families and seniors to engage more with their community, try new produce, and receive extra food benefits.
“FMNP is a small but mighty program! It’s a win-win-win for families, seniors, farmers, and the local economy,” Light says.
— Alyssa Smolen, MS, RDN, CDN, is a community dietitian by day and a media dietitian by night. During the day, she teaches cooking classes to children and adults and creates healthy recipes promoting balanced nutrition to share with her community. By night, she myth-busts nutrition misinformation on social media. Find her on Instagram @arugalyssa.
References
1. Blumberg R, Fowler E, Bai Y, Lal P, Smolen A, Dubrovsky I. An investigation of social ecological barriers to and facilitators of WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program Voucher Redemption. Nutrients. 2022;14(9):1871.
2. Farmers market nutrition program. Food and Nutrition Service U.S. Department of Agriculture website. https://www.fns.usda.gov/fmnp/wic-farmers-market-nutrition-program. Published June 3, 2024. Accessed January 19, 2025.
3. Seniors farmers market nutrition program. Food and Nutrition Service U.S. Department of Agriculture website. https://www.fns.usda.gov/sfmnp/senior-farmers-market-nutrition-program. Published June 3, 2024. Accessed January 19, 2025.
4. WIC farmers market nutrition program. Food and Nutrition Service U.S. Department of Agriculture website. https://www.fns.usda.gov/fmnp/fact-sheet. Published 2021. Accessed January 19, 2025.
5. Seniors farmers market nutrition program. Food and Nutrition Service U.S. Department of Agriculture website. https://www.fns.usda.gov/sfmnp/fact-sheet. Published 2023. Accessed January 19, 2025.
Takeaways and Tips
Dietitians and nutrition providers along with community partners bridge the gap between the government and the farmers’ market. This means that facilitating the FMNP lands on the shoulders of RDs. Because of this, more can be done at the local level to ensure that clients feel confident in redeeming their farmers market benefits. These efforts include:
• Educating RDs on the FMNP and where offices are located.
• Establishing a training day at WIC offices and SFMNP distribution sites to educate staff about redemption.
• Encouraging clients to use FMNP benefits.
• Creating relationships with farmers to participate in the FMNP.
• Reaching out to clients mid-way through the season to check in.
• Surveying clients after the season to gain redemption data.
• Chesney Blue, MPH, RD, suggests having “farmer(s) onsite at the WIC office so that clients can cash their benefits as soon as they receive them.”