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Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program . By: 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?. What is the purpose of SFMNP ?.
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Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program By: 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?
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