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News Release 3-19-2002 |
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USDA CUTS SENIOR FARMERS’ MARKET PROGRAM “We are very disappointed that the USDA has decided to cut this extremely beneficial program, despite the efforts of our congressional delegation,” said Commissioner Douglass. “I cannot begin to tell you how many positive comments I received from seniors across the Mountain State when the pilot program was instituted last year. The state received a tremendous benefit from a relatively small amount of money.” The $1.2 million senior program was a pilot program based on a Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program that provided vouchers for mothers of young children to redeem fresh fruits and vegetables at state farmers’ markets. Funding is still in place for that program, but it is not administered by the WVDA. Nor is the program administered by local farmers’ markets. “The local markets simply collected the vouchers and distributed the food,” said WVDA Marketing and Development Director Jean Smith, who is also very disappointed that USDA cut the program. “It’s really a shame. The USDA committee was impressed with the way we distributed West Virginia apples through the ‘Meals on Wheels’ program last year, and now we have nothing,” said Smith. “So many of our seniors grew up eating and loving fresh produce out of the garden. Now, they’re on fixed incomes, they can’t get out in the garden themselves and they have no way of getting delicious and nutritious West Virginia grown fruits and vegetables.” Virtually all of the $20 billion in direct subsidies USDA paid
farmers last year went to states producing corn, wheat, cotton,
rice and soybeans. Nationally, 2.7 million people participated in
the Senior Nutrition program at an average cost of only $12 worth
of fruits and vegetables per person. |
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©2001, 2002 West Virginia Department of Agriculture, All Rights Reserved |
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