Market Farming

["Kate Halstead" <rockyprairie AT earthlink.net>]

Comment on economically disadvantaged folks and farmers market produce.

It's all about the money, WIC not withstanding.

Several years ago I was helping with a small market in Washington State. An
older woman approached me with tears in her eyes and two beautiful, large
peaches in her hands from one of our vendors. They were huge, organic,
oozing with flavor, and weighed close to a pound apiece. It was obvious from
her dress and demeanor that money was an issue.

She held out the peaches and related how she had picked them out and when
the vendor told her the total owed was $8 ($4.50/lb for early season organic
is not uncommon around here) she was too embarrassed to tell him she
couldn't afford them and handed him all the money she had--$8--her grocery
budget for several days.

She asked me if that was really the price...How could just two peaches cost
$8? What kind of market were we running? I had no idea what to tell her. How
can you explain the real cost of local organic production to someone for
whom $8 represents their food budget for several days? It's impossible.
Needless to say she never returned to market and it's rare for us to see
very many folks with WIC coupons for just that reason. When a case of ramen
noodles costs the same as two peaches and your children have empty tummies
there really isn't a choice.

Talk to your legislators. The amount of WIC funding handed out is
appallingly small considering the need and the cost of good, nutritious
food. The amount of subsidies that goes into that $8 case of ramen noodles
is also appalling. For our tax dollars to be subsidizing such substandard
nutrition is downright criminal. Food industry lobbyists are the biggest
enemy the economically disadvantaged have.

Kate

-----Original Message-----
From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of
TradingPostPaul
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2008 12:25 PM
To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] WIC! Wicked!


A question: do you see WIC customers spending any of their own money on
produce? In other words, do they become regular market customers? Do you
feel it's worth the bother? We've noticed they don't at either market where
we sell. We started taking WIC gladly at first. 

paul tradingpost AT lobo.net

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

>Date: Sun, 23 Mar 2008 13:35:42 -0400
>From: "Sharon and Steve" <shopkins AT tdstelme.net>

>To handle WIC the following requirements must be met:
>
>The stand must be a permanent, enclosed structure with a roof, 
>dedicated solely to the sale of the farmers fruits and vegetables.
>
>The stand must have defined hours and they must be posted.
>
>The stand must have a difined season.
>
>A full time attendant must be present during hours of operation.
>
>At least 75% of the product offered for sale must have been grown by 
>the farmeror under his /her direction. Product not grown by the farmer 
>must be

>purchased directly from another Maine Farmer.
>
>Farmers who redeemed less than $50.oo per year for the last three years 
>will not be eligible for authorization.
>


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