Guthrie selected to help with SNAP program at Farmer’s Market

The Double Up Oklahoma (DUO) program will provide a financial incentive for Oklahoma families that receive SNAP benefits to increase fresh fruit and vegetable consumption.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded a Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) grant to the Community Service Council of Greater Tulsa (CSC) to increase fruit and vegetable consumption through the Double Up Oklahoma (DUO) program.

“Guthrie Farmers Market hopes that the Double Up program brings in people that have never been to the farmers market, as well as increasing the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables that residents of Logan County eat. It is a no brainer that this a win for our community,” Logan County Health Department Wellness Coordinator Courtney McLemore said.

The participating Oklahoma farmers’ markets invite you to taste the difference beginning July 1, 2016. Guthrie was one of the nine markets to be chosen from across the state.

“Every $1 that SNAP clients swipe their cards for they actually get $2 to use. It’s a win in terms of more people eating fresh produce, a win for our farmers, and a win for our community,” McLemore said.

The purpose of the FINI program is to help low-income families participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp program, to receive additional resources to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. The DUO program will provide SNAP recipients the opportunity to stretch their food dollars by matching up to $20 of SNAP benefits per day at participating farmers’ markets to buy fresh fruits, vegetables, or food bearing plants that were grown in Oklahoma.

This program is administered by CSC with support provided by a number of community foundations and service organizations. The Guthrie Farmers Market located in historic downtown Guthrie at 102 W. Harrison, open on Saturdays 8:00am – 12:00pm will be one of nine markets across the state participating during the first year.  Additional farmers’ markets will participate in the program during the second year of funding.

The 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends daily consumption of a variety of vegetables and fruits, especially whole fresh fruits.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2011 Oklahoma adults had the second lowest consumption of fruits and the eighth lowest consumption of vegetables in the US. USDA recognized that low-income Americans who receive SNAP benefits do not have sufficient access and resources to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables and developed the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) program to encourage fresh fruit and vegetable consumption and support local agriculture.

As of February 2016 over 600,000 Oklahomans (approximately 15 percent of the population) receive SNAP benefits. The vast majority of SNAP beneficiaries are children, seniors, or people with chronic disabilities. This program will enable them to improve their diet with more fresh fruits and vegetables.  Each market day, the DUO program will match the value of SNAP purchases made at the participating farmers’ markets dollar-for-dollar to spend on fresh Oklahoma-grown produce.  There is a $20 maximum per market day.  The Community Service Council anticipates that a large proportion of Oklahoma families will benefit from the program, since approximately one-third of Oklahoma SNAP recipients reside in the areas served by the participating farmers’ markets. Farmers’ markets provide quality, locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables.  Taste the difference at a participating farmers’ market.