Market Farming

[Road's End Farm <organic87 AT frontiernet.net>]

On Mar 26, 2008, at 3:16 PM, Janet Bachmann wrote:

> Home Grown Kansas! wrote:
> > In looking at what WIC foods would be available from the farmers 
> > market I found this list of eligible foods on the USDA WIC website:  
> > "WIC foods include juice, iron-fortified cereal, eggs, cheese, milk, 
> > peanut butter, dried beans or peas, iron-fortified infant formula, 
> > tuna, and carrots."  Are those of you accepting WIC coupons able to 
> > sell produce other than the dried beans/peas and carrots?

> > Pat


> I think Farmers Market Food and Nutrition Program or FMNP/WIC is a 
> different program than the one you are describing.  FMNP/WIC coupons can 
> only be used at farmers' markets or farm markets, and only for fresh 
> fruits and vegetables.  FMNP/WIC cannot be used for any of the foods 
> listed above, with the exception of fresh carrots or dried beans and peas.

Yes, it's two different setups. WIC recipients are eligible for the FMNP coupons; some seniors are also eligible for FMNP coupons, at least in NY State (I don't know whether all states use both versions. FMNP are good only for fresh produce (fruits, vegetables, culinary herbs) and at least in NY it must be locally grown produce, though the definition of "locally grown" may vary some depending on the market rules.

There has been some talk of adding fresh produce to the regular WIC and allowing the regular WIC to also be used at farm markets, but the market setup for this, as I understand it, is/would be expensive and time consuming. FMNP coupons are easy and require no financial layout, just a bit of paperwork that isn't too bad.

-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
Fresh-market organic produce, small scale