Federal Cuts Threaten Farmers Market Nutrition Programs for Low-Income Families and Seniors
Source: www.presspublications.com
Federal support for the Farmers Market Nutrition Program, which serving low-income families and seniors has been drastically reduced and delayed, causing concern among local agencies and communities. Programs impacted include the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP), both of which distribute vouchers to purchase fresh, locally grown produce at farmers markets. However, officials report that for 2025, the state has received only a fraction of the federal funding originally allocated, resulting in fewer available vouchers and postponed distribution schedules.
State Agriculture Department spokesperson Shannon Powers revealed that just 39% of the appropriated federal funds for the Farmers Market Nutrition Program have been received to date, with no clear explanation from the federal government. “This delay is especially harmful for farmers who grow early-season produce like strawberries,” Powers said. “Without the vouchers, they may be forced to discard crops or find last-minute buyers.” The reduced funding has meant WIC agencies will receive only about 49% of the vouchers they requested, while senior programs will receive around 74%.
Delayed Rollout and Reduced Check Amounts
In response to the funding issues, local agencies have been forced to adjust their timelines and distribution strategies. Dr. Shannah Gilliam, director of the Allegheny County Department of Human Services’ Area Agency on Aging, stated that the first distribution date for senior vouchers had to be delayed from June 10 to June 24. “We’ve shifted to a uniform distribution time across all sites to reduce the risk of site-hopping and to make the process as fair as possible,” Gilliam explained. Vouchers are given out on a first-come, first-served basis during a three-hour distribution window.
Each Senior Farmers Market recipient is currently eligible for five \$5 vouchers, totaling \$25—half the amount provided during the pandemic years when COVID-19 relief temporarily boosted the Farmers Market Nutrition Program benefits. Meanwhile, The WIC program offers three \$10 checks per eligible individual. However, both groups are seeing shorter supplies of vouchers overall, raising concerns about unmet needs. “The demand for vouchers won’t decrease just because the supply has,” Gilliam noted.
Local Agencies Face Growing Challenges
County-level agencies are already feeling the pinch. Carrie Nelson, administrator for Westmoreland County’s Area Agency on Aging, shared that her office had requested 28,000 checks but received only 21,100. “Last year, we issued nearly 26,000 checks and still had a waitlist,” she said. “This year’s cut will directly impact the number of older adults we can serve.”
Historically, funding and voucher distribution for the Farmers Market Nutrition Program dipped between 2017 and 2022, but the program rebounded in 2023 and 2024 due to pandemic-era federal support. That reprieve now appears to be ending, just as the need continues to grow. “Nutrition needs change as we get older,” Nelson added. “With fewer options and reduced funding, these changes will have a real and potentially harmful impact on our seniors.”
The 2025 data will be released after the current voucher season concludes, but early indicators suggest continued strain unless federal support stabilizes.
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