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Background:
The Senior
and WIC (Women, Infants and Children) Farmers Market Nutrition Programs (FMNP)
help over 65,000 Washington Families AND 500 small Washington Family Farmers.
Participants in these programs shop for fresh fruits and vegetables direct from
Washington farmers, at 55 farmers markets around the state.
 WIC FMNP: Administered by the Washington State Department of Health
(DOH). Basic benefit is $20 per client per market season. In 2006,
39,600
individuals redeemed the checks. DOH estimates there are 97,000 eligible
clients in the state.
Senior FMNP: Administered by Washington State Department of Social and
Health Services (DSHS). Basic benefit is $40 per individual per market
season. In 2006, 16,750 seniors were served. DSHS estimates there are
60,000 eligible seniors in the state.
Benefits:
● Increases sales of WA grown produce to low-income women and children
and Senior Citizens;
● Gives local economies a significant boost;
● Promotes healthy eating habits;
● Helps small farmers stay in business and keep people employed;
● Connects farmers and city dwellers, producers
and consumers, puts a face on farming;
● Keeps agriculture land in productive use;
● Helps strengthen the farmers markets where the vouchers are redeemed;
● Minimal state funds used to keep federal dollars in the community.
Who are the
Advocates for Families and Farms?
Bellingham
Farmers Market
Children's
Alliance
Earth
Ministry
The HumanLinks Foundation
Humble Earth Farmers' Market, Spokane
King-Pierce
County Farm Bureau
Lutheran
Public Policy Office
Neighborhood
Farmers Market Alliance
Olympia
Farmers’ Market
Senior Round Table Nutrition Program
Spokane
Farmers' Market
South Perry Farmers' Market, Spokane
Tacoma
Farmers Market
Tilth
Producers of Washington
WA
Association of Local WIC Agencies
WA
State Farmers Market Association
WA
Sustainable Food and Farming Network
Walla Walla
Valley Farmers' Market Association
Washington Association of Senior Nutrition Programs (WASNP)
Washington
State Grange
Western Sustainable Agriculture Working Group
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 Current Activities:
Good news for the Farmers Market Nutrition Program
(FMNP) in the Senate Budget!
Senator Marilyn Rasmussen amended an additional $354,000 for the WIC and
Senior FMNP in to the Ways and Means Committee budget for the 2007-09
biennium! $254,000 is for Senior FMNP and $100,000 is for WIC FMNP.
This allocation allows:
--DSHS to provide the same level of service to low income seniors as in
2006. The extra money was needed so the state could comply with
increased program and reporting regs now required by USDA.
--DOH to minimize the impact of reduced funds from USDA for the WIC FMNP
in 2007.
The next step is to make sure these funds are added to the House budget
and the governor’s budget. Key representatives to be contacted are Frank
Chopp and Helen Sommers (both in Seattle), Kelli Linville (Whatcom
County), Bill Grant (district 16, Walla Walla), and Hans Dunshee (44th –
Mill Creek area of Snohomish County).
If you live in their district or do business in their district, please
contact Mr. Chopp or Ms. Sommers directly. If you represent a
stakeholder organization in the state, it would be fine to send an email
or letter on organizational letterhead to Mr. Chopp and Ms. Sommers.
If you don’t live in their district, please contact your personal
representatives and urge them to talk to Mr. Chopp and Ms. Sommers and
recommend that the funds be added to the House Budget.
A simple message is:
We urge you to add $354,000 for the WIC and Senior Farmers Market
Nutrition Programs (FMNP) to the House Budget. This amount was amended
into the Ways and Means Committee Senate Budget. $100,000 is for WIC
FMNP and $254,000 is for Senior FMNP. These are win-win programs because
they provide fresh, locally grown food for low income WIC families and
seniors, and economic viability for our local growers. These monies
simply maintain the current funding level because there were cuts in
USDA funding to states approved in January and increased program
requirements finalized in late 2006.
Please thank Senator Rasmussen for her efforts to support these
programs. She has been an incredible supporter of these programs over
the years. Email to them on organization letterhead is fine. If you're
an individual, please contact your own legislator.
This needs to be done now because the committees are negotiating the
final budget now.
If you have questions, please contact Kira Doley, Acting Executive
Director of the Washington State Farmers Market Association at
253-272-7077.
Please Contact:
Rep. Bill Grant (email)
Rep. Kelli Linville (email)
Rep. Helen Sommers (email)
Rep. Hans Dunshee (email)
Rep. Frank Chopp (email)
Governor Chris Gregoire (email)
Please Thank:
Sen. Marilyn Rasmussen (email)
Sen. Lisa Brown (email)
Sen. Margarita Prentice (email)
Sen. Craig Pridemore (email)
To view details about our revised budget
request supporting the Senate proposal, follow this link:
Revised Budget Request
See also:
Economic Impact
of Washington State’s Farmers Markets and the WIC and Senior FMNP
Farmers Markets Check Redemption Programs
Prepared by Dr. Viki Sonntag, Research Director, Sustainable Seattle
January 8, 2006 
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Here’s
what's being said about the Farmers
Market Nutrition Programs:
"We
don’t have a lot of money and when we do, all that’s available to
buy are high sugar, high fat snacks. This [WIC FMNP] was a very healthy
experience for my kids, as well as myself. They got better food and had
fun!
WIC client, Eatonville
"The WIC FMNP is critical for small family farmers. For me, it
meant not having to let one of my employees go. During these hard
economic times, programs like this help keep family farms in business."
Farmer, Enumclaw
”I am not accustomed to asking for, or
accepting anything I
have not earned, but I must tell you that these [Senior
FMNP] checks have been a Godsend. I have been able to
enjoy a variety of fruits and vegetables that I never would
have without the checks.”
Senior participant,
Omak
“I really enjoyed being able to go the
farmer's market. I
have used them for two years now and I eat more fruits
and vegetables and love going to the market!”
WIC
Mom, Spokane
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