Description

	Provides low-income seniors with coupons that can be used to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and honey from farmers at authorized farmers’ markets or roadside stands, or with shares in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs for regularly distributed bags or boxes of eligible foods.
	Works to increase the consumption of agricultural commodities by expanding, developing or aiding in the development and expansion of domestic farmers’ markets, roadside stands and CSA programs.
	Operates in areas of 41 States, 7 tribal organizations, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.

Background

	The program was created as a pilot program in FY 2001; it was established by Congress as a permanent program in FY 2002 under the Farm Bill, and reauthorized through FY 2012 by the 2008 Farm Bill.
	Grant funds may be used to support both food and administrative costs: up to 10 percent of a State agency’s total SFMNP grant may be used as administrative funds.
	SFMNP participants’ Federal food benefit may not be less than $20 or more than $50 per year, per participant, with certain exceptions allowed for State agencies that are grandfathered into the permanent program, based on their participation in FY 2006. State agencies may supplement the per participant benefit level.

Participants

	In FY 2008, 963,685 low-income seniors purchased food with SFMNP benefits from 17,156 farmers at 3,159 farmers’ markets, as well as 2,512 roadside stands, and 199 CSA programs.
	Low-income seniors at least 60 years old who have household incomes of not more than 185 percent of the federal poverty income guidelines ($26,955 for a two-person household as of July 1, 2009).

Budget

$20.6 million for each FY from 2008-2012.

Contact Information

For complete information, visit www.fns.usda.gov/wic/SeniorFMNP/SFMNPmenu.htm . View agency listings at www.fns.usda.gov/wic/SeniorFMNP/SFMNPcontacts.htm. Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP):

Last modified: 11/30/2011