Click for next slide Return to FMNP Page Kentucky Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program 2007 Farmer Manual

Click for next slide 2 Highlights & Updates Topics to be covered: Understanding your customer Eligible foods list Detailed Requirements Detailed Rules Detailed Redemption Process Reminders: Don’t forget to sign up with your market coordinator in each FMNP market you sell in! You are responsible for training of FMNP procedures to any employee of your operation that sells at the farmers’ market.

Click for next slide 3 Purposes of FMNP WIC-FMNP 1. Provide fresh, nutritious unprepared fruits and vegetables from farmers’ markets to women, infants, and children who are nutritionally at-risk 2. To expand awareness, use of, and sales at farmers’ markets Senior FMNP 1. Provide resources in the form of fresh, nutritious, unprepared, locally grown fruits, vegetables, and herbs from farmers' markets to low-income seniors, 2. Increase the domestic consumption of agricultural commodities by expanding or aiding in the expansion of domestic farmers' markets, and 3. Develop or aid in the development of new and additional farmers' markets.

Click for next slide 4 Today’s WIC Client All WIC participants are under 185% of Poverty level Many do not have a reliable source of transportation 80% of WIC participants today have a job or a household member with a job Many do not know basic food preparation Packaging ingredients together, such as Salsa ingredients or green beans and potatoes giving simple recipes Buy more fruits, corn, tomatoes, potatoes or any vegetable that requires little time to prepare helps 80% of WIC participants report eating more fruits and vegetables since the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program started Most state that a convenient location and later hours of operation are very important when trying to use their FMNP WIC checks due to child care, transportation issues All WIC clients feel the Farmers’ Market program is helpful to their family’s nutrition choices.

Click for next slide 5 Senior FMNP Income Guidelines 60 Years of Age and Older Based on 130 Percent Federal Poverty Income Guidelines Household Size Annual IncomeMonthlyWeekly 1$12,740$1,062$245 2$17,160$1,430$330 3$21,580$1,799$415 4$26,000$2,167$500 5$30,420$2,535$585 6$34,840$2,904$670 7$39,260$3,272$755 8$43,680$3,640$840 For Each Additional $4,420$369$85

Click for next slide 6 Seniors Who Are They? 60 years and older Most have farming backgrounds A choice they have to make Medicine or Food

Click for next slide 7 Funding WIC FMNP 2006 USDA Grant $245, USDA Grant Estimated $203,170 (less 17.25%) SENIOR FMNP 2006 USDA Grant $265, USDA Grant Determined April 2007

Click for next slide 8 Farmer Requirements Participating farmers in the program must: Be member of an approved farmers’ market Attend a training session each year Accept checks only for fruits and vegetables and fresh cut cooking herbs that have been produced in Kentucky Sign an agreement that they understand and agree to abide all the regulations and policies for participation in the FMNP program

Click for next slide 9 Rules - 1 Checks are good for fresh locally grown produce only. Locally grown produce is defined as produce grown in Kentucky or within 50 miles from Kentucky border See “Eligible Kentucky Foods” for list. No meats, eggs, cheese, jams, jellies, honey, plant material, flowers, etc.; however, these products are great for adding to the market’s offering, simply take other forms of payment

Click for next slide 10 Eligible Kentucky Foods - 1 Apples Asparagus Beans (green) Beets Blackberries (thornless & thorny) Blueberries Broccoli Brussels Sprouts Cabbage (red, green, savoy, chinese) Carrots Cauliflower Cherries Sweet Corn Cucumbers Edamame Soybeans Eggplant Grapes Greens (collards, kale, mustard, spinach, swiss chard, turnip) Green Onions Kohlrabi Lettuce Melons (muskmelon, honeydew, cantaloupe) Mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, morel, etc.) Okra Onions Parsnips Pawpaws Peaches Pears Peas (snow peas, sugar snap) Peppers (hot and sweet)

Click for next slide 11 Eligible Kentucky Foods - 2 Plums Potatoes Pumpkins Radishes Raspberries Rhubarb Strawberries Summer squash (yellow, zucchini, patty pan) Sweet potatoes Tomatoes Turnips Watermelons Winter Squash (acorn, butternut, spaghetti, kabocha) Cooking herbs (fresh, cut): Basil Borage Chives Cilantro Dill Epazote Fennel Garlic Marjoram Mint Oregano Parsley Rosemary Sage Savory Shiso Sorrel Tarragon Thyme

Click for next slide 12 Ineligible Foods “Non-locally” grown products may not be purchased with FMNP checks. Examples include citrus products such as oranges, mangoes, lemons, and limes; bananas, and pineapples. Medicinal Herbs and others such as aloe, lamb’s ear, catnip, rue, white sage, lavendar, echinacea, bee balm, chamomile, St Johnswort are not eligible for purchase with checks.

Click for next slide 13 Rules A Farmer cannot exclusively sell produce grown by someone else. All markets have different rules, RULES for FMNP can be more strict according to your market rules, but may not be more lenient.

Click for next slide 14 Rules No sales tax Kentucky has a sales tax exemption on the purchase of food No change given for checks Participants must purchase produce in the amount of the checks

Click for next slide 15 Rules Checks valid only at authorized markets Checks may not be received at other markets, locations, and sites which are not a FMNP market This includes your farm! It is not an authorized location. Not all Kentucky farmers’ markets are in FMNP Only authorized farmers within approved markets If you sell in more than one market, you will need to sign up to take checks in each FMNP market and receive a FMNP farmer number to accept checks in that market Not all farmers in a market accept FMNP

Click for next slide 16 Rules Display sign showing you accept FMNP checks This is in order for participants to find you to spend their checks.

Click for next slide 17 Rules Offer FMNP participants the same courtesies as other market customers Provide eligible foods at the current price or lower than the current price charged to other customers Display prices and how product is sold (by pound, container, by bunch, etc.)

Click for next slide 18 Rule Enforcement Market Site Visits Review of Market Review of Farmers Anonymous compliance buys Violations can result in farmer and/or market being terminated from FMNP

Click for next slide 19 Minor Violations Failure to post signage at the market Failure to open during published times and days Failure to provide produce during the season for which checks are issued Penalties for Minor offenses: First violation-verbal or written reprimand Second violation-Move to “at-risk” classification and written warning Third violation-Suspension of right to redeem checks for the remaining of the season

Click for next slide 20 Major Violations Selling at off-market site Selling non-eligible products Buying Checks Accepting checks when on suspension Penalties for Major Offenses: First violation-Written reprimand Second Violation-Suspension of right to redeem checks for 30 days during FMNP season. If there is less than 30 days remaining in the season when violation is committed, days remaining will continue in the following FMNP season. Third violation-Farmer becomes ineligible for the program. State Agency has the right to carry over major/minor violations from year to year.

Click for next slide 21 Fair Hearing Process Local agencies, recipients, and farmers/farmers’ markets may appeal discipline action Appeals should be sent in writing with full contact information to KDA. Results of the review will be sent in writing to the complaining party within 14 days.

Click for next slide 22 Civil Rights Compliance KDA Title VI Coordinator is responsible for immediately notifying USDA-FNS of farmer and market discrimination complaints received by KDA: KDA Title VI Coordinator 500 Mero Street, 7 th Floor Frankfort, KY Farmers and participants may also contact USDA directly: USDA Director, Office of Civil Rights Room 362-W, Whitten Building 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC Also note that as a farmer or farmers’ market participating in the FMNP program you must adhere to the federal regulations for nondiscrimination.

Click for next slide 23 Redemption Procedures Qualify Receive training and review of materials Agree to, and sign Farmer Participation Guidelines Receive FMNP farmer stamp from market coordinator Remember to do this in each FMNP market you sell in

Click for next slide 24 FMNP WIC CHECK 1.Get Customer Signature 2.Write in Date check is used in the date redeemed box. 3.Stamp check with the farmer identifier. If stamp is unclear on a WIC check, contact local health department. See health department contact list for phone number. 4.Endorse WIC Check on Back Side 5.Deposit in Your Bank Stamp check here

Click for next slide 25 FMNP SENIOR CHECK Get Customer Signature Stamp check with the farmer identifier. If stamp is unclear, handwritten is acceptable. Endorse Senior Check on Back Side Deposit in Your Bank Stamp check here

Click for next slide 26 Deadlines April 10, 2007 Farmer Participation Guidelines turned in (All PAGES) Must have guidelines so that your farmer number can be entered into the system October 15, 2007 Last day to accept checks October 31, 2007 Final day to deposit checks

For More Information Kentucky Department of Agriculture Division of Food Distribution 107 Corporate Drive Frankfort, KY (502) X FMNP Jessica P. Anderson, Farmers’ Market Development Janet Eaton, Return to FMNP Page