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Subject: Market Farming
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- From: MariavHM AT aol.com
- To: market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
- Subject: Fwd: Action Needed--applies to PA
- Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 12:43:46 EST
--- Begin Message ---
- From: "Sue Mitchem" <pahunger AT paonline.com>
- To: "Maria van Hekken" <mariavhm AT aol.com>
- Subject: Action Needed
- Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 11:11:18 -0500
To: Pennsylvania Growers and Persons Interested in Nutrition and Food Security in Pennsylvania
From: Sue Mitchem
Communications Coordinator, Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center
Dear Friends,
I am writing to you about a program which may be beneficial to some of your members. It is the Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program for Seniors, a program out of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
The program is available in several regions around the state including Shenango Valley, Chester, Lancaster, Allentown, Pottsville, Erie, Williamsport, and on a more limited basis in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.
It provides $20 in coupons for low income seniors to get fresh fruits and vegetables at farmers’ markets. The coupons in the above-named regions were distributed through Area Agencies on Aging and the senior centers.
We need your help. The Governor has proposed no increase in this program for 2001-02. It is currently funded at $1.5 million dollars and served 50,000 seniors in the areas listed above.
Low income seniors are nutritionally at-risk and receive positive health benefits from the program. Those who have had access to the program are very appreciative of the healthful boost to their food supply with fresh fruits and vegetables.
This program is a winner for low income seniors. It is a winner for local farmers. Our state has the money to make this happen. Expanding th e program to $4 million would be a real boost to fruit and vegetable growers around the state and enable 160,000 low income seniors to receive fresh fruits and vegetables as part of the program.
The legislature can add more money to the budget to fund this valuable program in more areas of the state, but the legislature needs to hear especially from farmers in regions where there are established farmer’s markets.
If you have a farmer’s market in your area and are willing to help, please write to your state senators and state representatives to fund the Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program for Seniors at a level of $4 million dollars. This will enable Pennsylvania’s low income seniors to better access good nutrition and Pennsylvania grown fresh food.
I have attached a sample letter for your members to use if needed. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your support
Sue Mitchem
PA Hunger Action Center
208 N. Third Street, Suite 200
Harrisburg, PA 17101
(717)233-6705
email: pahunger AT paonline.com
website: www.pahunger.org
Attachment: A sample letter FMNP for farmers.doc
Description: MS-Word document
--- End Message ---
- Fwd: Action Needed--applies to PA, MariavHM, 03/26/2001
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