Accepted here! : food access programs at Washington State farmers markets

Abstract

Across the country, farmers markets have become key actors in a burgeoning “food access” movement. The concept of “food access” builds on long-held goals such as reducing hunger, building community food security, promoting public health, advocating for food justice, and/or supporting local agriculture. Farmers markets are especially well suited to their role in the food access movement because they can provide a ready-made solution for places that lack brick-and-mortar grocery stores and other appropriate retail food outlets. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) are designed to provide individuals and families “in need with access to food and a more healthful diet”. In the case of FMNP, the program is explicitly designed to ensure these purchases are made directly from farmers at farmers markets and farm stands. The purpose of this report is to aggregate and assess SNAP and FMNP sales at farmers markets in Washington State over a five-year period from 2010 to 2014. Tracking the scope and impact of food access programs at farmers markets is challenging on multiple fronts