Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff recently said the growth of ODH’s WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program represented a “win-win” for both WIC participants and the state’s economy.
Seventy counties now have markets participating in the program, which provides WIC participants with an extra benefit in the form of coupon booklets that can be redeemed for fruits, vegetables and herbs from participating farmers.
A decade ago, there were 57 markets participating.
“This is an incredible 'win-win’ for Ohio,” Dr. Vanderhoff said during a virtual news conference. “First, we of course are getting more fresh produce into the hands of people who need it. Second, we are supporting Ohio farmers, many of whom are running relatively small and perhaps family-owned businesses. This is a way to boost the local economy while also honoring Ohio’s rich agricultural heritage.”
The program provides WIC participants with one booklet of six $5 coupons to use at a farmers market. The coupons can be used from June 1 to Oct. 31. Athens and Meigs counties are among the farmers markets participating in the program.
Across the state, local WIC agencies recruit farmers to participate in the program. After farmers receive WIC coupons from customers, they redeem those with the Ohio WIC program and are paid.
Last year, ODH’s Ohio WIC program paid $575,920 to farmers who participated in the farmer’s market program.
Among the farmers participating in and benefiting from the program is Bryn Bird, co-owner of Bird’s Haven Farms near Granville in Licking County.
“My mom was a single mother with two small children in the late 60s and early 70s,” Bird said, “so when we started to grow produce, my mom was really determined that we would make our produce accessible through various food assistance programs, and WIC was one of the first and one of the easiest for us to work with.”
Like the regular WIC program, the farmers' market program is completely federally funded, through money ODH receives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
ODH is not the only state agency that is involved with helping people get more access to healthy foods at farmer’s markets.
The Ohio Department of Aging has a Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program for eligible Ohioans aged 60 or older, and that program is being modernized this summer. Additionally, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services has contracted with many farm markets to accept their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program cards — or SNAP benefits.
Fresh produce is an important part of a healthy diet and can be a factor in helping people reduce levels of obesity and prevent illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension and cancer.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that only 4 in 10 children and 1 in 7 adults nationally eat the recommended daily allowance of fruit; and that fewer than 1 in 10 Americans of any age eat the recommended daily amount of vegetables.
“Programs like the WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program are an important way to try to improve those statistics, and hopefully help more Ohioans live full and healthy lives,” Vanderhoff said.
Visit the ODH website, odh.ohio.gov/know-our-programs/wic-farmers-market-nutrition-program/ , for information on the WIC Farmer’s Market Program.
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