Low-income seniors in Connecticut can now get some extra help buying fresh produce at farmer’s markets through an annual program that kicked off on June 1.
The Farmer’s Market Nutrition program (FMNP) runs through Nov. 30 at the many participating markets, distribution sites and roadside stands around the state, from over 200 local farmers. Eligible seniors get $40 for the season to spend on locally-made products.
“They're getting access to fresh produce, eggs, and honey that, especially in a tough economic climate like we're facing with inflation, and the national cost of groceries, this extends their purchasing power significantly,” said Connecticut Department of Agriculture Commissioner Bryan Hurlburt.
Benefits can be spent digitally through a mobile app or card, an upgrade made in 2023 from the paper vouchers.
Enrollment still open
Senior participants can still enroll for this year’s FMNP. To be eligible they must be 60 or older and can’t make more than 185% of the federal poverty level, which is about $29,500 for a single individual.
Hurlburt said FMNP not only invests in Connecticut's economy, but also the health of its seniors. Older adults are especially at risk for not getting enough nutritious food.
“And so the goal is, can we support food security and give people more and better access to fresh local products during the high point of the summer to make sure that they have the food that they need,” he said.
Food insecurity in Connecticut has only continued to increase since the global pandemic, according to a January report out of the state’s Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity.
It’s a trend that’s also reflected on a national level, as NPR reported last week that levels of food insecurity have been higher this year than at the height of the pandemic, in summer 2020.
“Access to fresh, nutritious food is not a luxury, it is a foundation of good health. For too many Connecticut residents, that access isn’t guaranteed,” Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Manisha Juthani said in a statement.
Hurlburt hopes in the future the state legislature could allocate even more funds to FMNP, “as another way to tackle food insecurity in the state.”
Learn more
Many farmer’s markets also accept SNAP and EBT benefits. More information, including list of locations where FMNP can be redeemed can be found on the state Department of Agriculture’s website.
