Farmers' markets can now accept WIC vouchers, food stamps

By PATTY MAMULA
For the Capital Press

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Farmers learned about a variety of issues facing family farms at a recent small-farm conference -- including how to navigate the bureaucracy surrounding various nutrition voucher programs.

Among the workshops at Oregon State University's 10th Annual Small Farms Conference last month was one on the new WIC -- the federal Women, Infants and Children nutrition program -- vouchers for fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. Vouchers can now also be used at farm-direct vendors.

Kelly Streit, nutrition educator, and Michelle Aarhus, WIC trainer, told participants that to become authorized vendors they must complete a 75-minute training class and submit an application to the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

"If you participated in the (state) Farm Direct program last year, you will automatically receive an application," Streit said. "If you didn't, you need to request one."

The final step takes about a week and involves receiving the authorization packet and the official four-digit stamp to use on vouchers along with laminated signs that must be posted at the farm stand.

"These are a great marketing tool," said Aarhus. "They draw voucher participants to your booth."

Streit highlighted differences between the two programs' vouchers.

The state's Farm Direct nutrition vouchers are green, come in $4 denominations and will be marked with use dates from June 1 to Oct. 31, 2010. They may be used to purchase locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables, cut herbs, edible blossoms and flowers and potatoes of any kind.

The federal WIC program's fruit and vegetable vouchers are blue, come in $5, $6 and $10 denominations and will be marked with use dates from the first to the last of each month. They can be used at authorized farm direct locations as well as retail stores. They may be used to purchase fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables and only yams and sweet potatoes, but no other variety of potatoes.

To avoid problems with the vouchers, Streit said, "Talk to your bank before you begin accepting them. Be proactive."

She also advised depositing vouchers every week and paying attention to final deposit dates on the vouchers.

"Since change cannot be given for the vouchers, farmers have the advantage over stores," she said. "You can always add another bunch of carrots to the purchase so the buyers get the full value of the check."

Of the 45 people in attendance, nearly all planned to participate in the WIC program, including Joan Baune from Rainyway Farm in Hillsboro. Baune sells vegetables at the Portland Farmers Market.

"There's so much more money available in this program," she said. "We think it will be worth the extra time and effort to check WIC IDs and match signatures."

Another avenue for increased sales is through electronic benefits transfer, which allows sellers to accept debit, credit and food stamp cards. One of the workshops focused on how to bring EBT to a market.

Katy VanDis, from the Oregon Farmers' Market Association, discussed the process involved in setting up EBT machines at markets.

The first step is to complete the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service application online. Since it normally takes about 45 days for approval, VanDis urged market managers to apply now for the upcoming season. Once approved, a market will be assigned an official number and authorized to accept the cards.

Van Dis said: "You can anticipate anywhere from 10 to 20 to 30 percent increases in sales this year. But it depends on many variables."

Even with heavy promotion efforts, some markets find it difficult to attract food stamp users. Last year, for example, the Prineville market only had $800 in food stamp sales and The Dalles only averaged three to five sales per week.

Other markets have experienced strong food stamp sales. Last year Springfield did $1,300, Montavilla $4,700, Eugene $36,000 and Ashland $26,000.

"The key to making this work is educating your board," VanDis said. "Make sure that your board understands how it works, that vendors understand it and that customers understand it. Make it easy for them to buy by pricing items by the bunch rather than by the pound."

Other things to consider are whether you will also accept debit and credit cards, which involve higher fees, how to choose a service provider, what kind of scrip you will use in exchange for the cards and whether your region has adequate cell phone service.

Online

For the training schedule and other information, go to: www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/wic/about_us.shtml#farm