Local Food Policy & Health: State Policies Supporting /SNAP in Farmers Markets - PowerPoint Presenation

State Policies Supporting SNAP in Farmers Markets
May 20, 2011 Portland, OR

Introductions
Drew Love, Research & Education Intern
Farmers Market Coalition
Stacy Miller, Executive Director
Suzanne Briggs, Technical Assistance Manager
Co-Author, Real Food, Real Choice
Karen Kinney, Executive Director
Washington State Farmers Market Coalition
Deborah Yashar, Food Systems Program Manager
Agriculture & Land-Based Training Association (ALBA)

Why Farmers Markets?
Farmers become price
makers versus price takers
Define a sense of place; Build community
Offer living examples of vibrant local economies
Bridge urban and rural divides
Children learn the value of healthy food
Strengthens community ties via cross-cutting Relationships

Prevalenceof Farmers Markets

SNAP Benefits ($1,000) in 2008

Online at www.farmersmarketcoalition.org

Strategic plan: 2,000 market authorized; $7.2 million in benefits redeemed by 2015
Retailer locator: www.snapretailerlocator.com
Blanket waver for scrip and incentives: Feb 2010
1,611 FM SNAP authorized retailers: Sept 2010
FNS begins research on farmers markets’ relationship with nutrition programs: Nov 2010
$4 million requested in 2011 and 2012 budgets
SNAP Leadership at USDA

References and More Information
USDA Strategic Plan
http://www.ocfo.usda.gov/usdasp/sp2010/sp2010.pdf
Farmers Market SNAP Sales Soar in 2010
http://farmersmarketcoalition.org/snap-sales-soar-2010
FMC Explores Implications of IRS Electronic Payment Reporting Requirement
http://farmersmarketcoalition.org/6050w-reporting-delay
Real Food Real Choice: Connecting SNAP Recipients with Farmers Markets
http://farmersmarketcoalition.org/real-food-real-choice
FNS Funds Research to Better Understand Farmers Markets
http://farmersmarketcoalition.org/fns-funds-research
Letter to Congress RE: $4 million
http://farmersmarketcoalition.org/joinus/policy

Promising Programs & Policies for SNAP in Farmers MarketsSuzanne Briggs, collaboration
May 20, 2011 Portland, OR

Two Different FM EBT Strategies
Iowa – In 2005, Iowa DHS funded EBT programs for farmersin part by a regular 50/50 match on SNAP administration.
New York – In 2002 provided wireless machines to farmers. Starting in 2005 began developing a central-terminal system at the farmers market level.

Promising Programs & Partnerships
Michigan
Massachusetts
Pennsylvania
Georgia
Minnesota
Wisconsin

Promising Programs & Partnerships: Examples
Massachusetts
$50K grant program via DTA and Dept. of Ag., with input from Mass Federation of FMs
California
Specialty crop block grants used to expand SNAP at farmers markets
New York
Close collaboration between FMFNY, NY Dept of Ag., and OTDA

Promising State Policies
Washington
SB 6483, the Local Farms, Healthy Kids Act put wireless POS into 20 markets
Illinois
HB 4756, the Farmers Market Technology Improvement Program
California
A.B. 537 requires markets to allow a qualified organization to operate SNAP

Community Partners

Types of Community Partners
Businesses and merchants
Government
Schools and educational institutions
Non-profits and faith-based organizations
Health and social service organizations
Market volunteers

Farmers Market
Volunteers

Washington State SB 6483 Local Food, Healthy KidsKaren Kinney King County Soil & Water ConservationWashington State Farmers Market Association

SB 6483
Eases state and school procurement restrictions to better enable school districts and state entities to choose local
Establishes a Farm to School Program that will facilitate the purchasing of Washington-grow farm products by schools
Creates the Washington Grown Fresh Fruit and Vegetable program

Outcomes

Promotes school garden
Establishes a Farmers Market Technology Program
Establishes three Farm to Food Bank pilot programs
Expands and increases funding for the Farmers Market Nutrition Program
Funded at $1,490,000

Why is it so darn cool?
Magic Moment in time!
Precedent Setter!
First multi-pronged food
system legislation in WA state.
Coalition Builder!
Created new strategic
relationships between
environmentalists and
sustainable ag supporters.

Bringing People and Ideas… Together!
Strong existing network of sustainable ag and food system organizations
Able to fast-track a good idea
Right people at the right time
Ag people learned how the environmental community works together to promote agenda
Helped mainstream the idea of spending money on local farmers to promote big policy issues

Champions in House and Senate
Key emphasis on diversity, so it wasn’t seen as just a KCSeattle interest.
House Champion:
Eric Pettigrew-Represents most
diverse zip code in USA
Senate Champion:
Brian Hatfield-Previous work experience with WEC.
Bill Passes!
House: 95-1
Senate: 44-0

What's Happening Now?
Coalition is still working well due to strong personal connections.
New common ground issues continue to arise:
Formed Good Food Coalition
Ongoing commitment to all projects resulting from the legislation
Worked on State Food Policy Council proposal – 2009
Responded to state budget woes in 2011
Protect F2S and WSDA budget
Protect future of Farmers Market Nutrition Program

Farmers Market Tech Program
The Basics:
1 Year
$50,000
Report to Legislature in
November, 2009
State contracted with Washington State Farmers Market
Association (WSFMA)
Stakeholders formed advisory
Committee to oversee and
direct project
WSFMA hired the contractor

Hurdles to Capacity Building
Staffing, funding, and infrastructural challenges
Difficult to find streamlined payment methods

Victories
Created turnkey project
20 Farmers Markets, serving a wide variety of customers and communities, were able to accept EBT Cards.
Significant increase in farmers market sales
Mini-grant model works well for pilot projects
Broader recognition for WSFMA
Great opportunity for Advisory Committee

Washington: USDA EBT Data

EBT Wins! Baby Eats Strawberry!
1st Year:
Total Card Sales: $302,417
EBT: $49,349
Credit: $157,448
Debit: $93,140
2nd Year
Total Card Sales: $425,013
(40% increase)
EBT: $68,674 (increase 39%)
Credit: $231,466 (47%)
Debit: $125,633 (increase 35%)
Watching baby eat farmers market strawberry?: Priceless

Relationship Building
Strengthened Institutional Partnerships
WSU
King County Agriculture Program
State Agencies
Expanded Partnerships
Anti-Hunger
Nutrition
Local Health Agencies
Other States

Lessons Learned
Building partnerships between multiple local agencies builds capacity for both organizations.
Relationship development takes time, and successful relationships depend upon the personalities involved.
Be realistic about time
Consider organization’s long term commitment to a project, before adopting it

California Assembly Bill 537 EBT in Farmers MarketsDeborah Yashar, ALBA

Assembly Bill 537
Making federal food assistance (SNAP) benefits universally accepted as a legitimate form of payment in farmers markets.

How?
“An interested collective group or association of produce sellers that is FNS authorized and in the market may initiate and operate an EBT acceptance system on behalf of its members.”

Coalition Building
Coalition building with Assembly member Juan Arambula of Fresno, and supporting stakeholders.
Key partnerships with organizers/lobbyists in the state capitol.
As more groups became involved the bill changed.
Final version of the bill was less robust than original which required every market in CA to accept EBT by year 2012.

Debate and Compromise
Having a healthy debate over difference of opinions can turn the process into one that is unifying rather than controlling or exclusionary
As a result of the compromising, the one-time opponents became advocates of the bill and testified their support in public

Capacity building to empower new leaders
Another outcome of policy-making is the capacity-building among participants that get involved in the political process
Knowledge and experience in policy-making is passed on by mentors and new leaders emerge

Make Progress
Put the issue on the radar of policy-makers and farmers markets
-> Bill provided an incentive for market managers to set up the system in their area.
-> After the bill passed, several markets in California decided to implement EBT.

Debate+Compromise+Allies+Change= Success!
Today all markets in Salinas accept EBT!
11 markets in Monterey County as opposed to 6 prior.

Questions?

Local Food Policy & Health: State Policies Supporting /SNAP in Farmers Markets - PowerPoint Presenation

by Community Food Security Coalition

Accessibility

Upload Details

Usage Rights

Statistics

Local Food Policy & Health: State Policies Supporting /SNAP in Farmers Markets - PowerPoint Presenation Presentation Transcript