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Wholesome Wave
Nourishing Neighborhoods Across America

Dear Friends,

The Senate Agriculture Committee's work on the 2012 Farm Bill required difficult choices and compromise. Wholesome Wave applauds the bipartisan leadership of the committee, led by Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, (D-Michigan) and Ranking Member Pat Roberts, (R-Kansas).

 

The Committee approved the bill Thursday afternoon in a 16-5 vote, including proxies. While the Farm Bill faces a long process before becoming law, Wholesome Wave's President and CEO Michel Nischan particularly commended Chairwoman Stabenow and Ranking Member Roberts for including innovative funding to promote nutrition at farmers markets, $20 million annually.

 

"These incentives are sorely needed by thousands of SNAP, WIC and Seniors eager to access fresh local food at their nearby farmers markets - incentives can improve affordability and also help to improve small farmer revenues," said Nischan. Nischan also thanked the Committee for including additional provisions of exceptional help to farmers who are providing nearby healthy fresh food to all. Included in the Senate Agriculture Committee carefully crafted legislation, now headed for final consideration on the Senate floor, are such provisions as:

 

  • Hunger-Free Community Incentive Grants - Nutrition incentive programs to increase fruit and vegetable purchases by SNAP customers at farmers markets. Mandatory funding averages $20 million a year over the life of the bill.
  • Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program - Local food added to the existing very popular farmers market promotion program. Funding doubled to $20 million a year.
  • Specialty Crop Block Grants - Funding increased to $70 million per year for five years from the current level of $55 million with provisions to allow multistate programs.
  • Community Food Projects - Funding doubled to $10 million
  • Innovations in SNAP - Establish pilot program for mobile technology and online ordering, as well as an amendment to permit SNAP redemption by community supported agriculture.
  • Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program - Mandatory funding maintained at $20 million annually.

 

Wholesome Wave leadership helps lead the way in proving that federal and private support of incentive programs can be successful in getting healthy local foods into the hands of people in low-income neighborhoods. "We are encouraged to see the bipartisan support of this important piece of proposed legislation," Nischan said during remarks at Wholesome Wave's annual meeting this week in Washington, D.C. "We all need to be at the table together so that the voices of the underserved are never forgotten."

 

In five short years, Wholesome Wave has expanded its Double Value Coupon Program from assisting a handful partners operating farmers markets in a couple of states to bringing in more than 60 partners, which support nearly 300 farmers markets across 25 states. Last market season Wholesome Wave helped serve over 40,000 federal benefits consumers who purchased produce from more than 2,300 farmers.

 

For more information, please contact us at 203-226-1112 or


Wholesome Wave is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization whose mission is to improve access and affordability of fresh, healthy, locally-grown produce to historically underserved communities. Doing so creates economic viability through local food commerce that can rebuild our nation's food system. To learn more about the work of Wholesome Wave, visit www.wholesomewave.org.
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