The NY Post is at it...Again!

The NY Post is at it again and as usual, void of facts. Read our response below to this writer's opinion about the use of food stamp benefits at farmers' markets. http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/capitol/colossal_waste_food_stamps_at_farm...

NYCCAH's Response:

Colossal Win - Food Stamps At Farmers’ Markets Benefit the City, the Farmer, and the Consumers!

What a colossal win!

1.) Evidence Shows There is a Huge Market for Food Stamps at Farmers’ Markets:

New York City has over 50 farmer’s markets and as of 2011, most of them accept food stamps through the use of the EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) cards. Farmers’ markets are expanding their reach and are available in all five boroughs in a number of neighborhoods. It would be useful to go to the GrowNYC website and look at the map of Greenmarkets and which ones accept EBT cards as payment.

2.) There is a Huge Demand for this Service Among Food Stamp Recipients:

Last year, there was an over 23 percent increase in the use of food stamps at famers’ markets. In 2011, the farmer’s market at Union Square saw the largest food stamp participation among all of the City’s markets, and it took in $100,000 more than the year before. Citywide, the amount was up $600,000. Furthermore, the City’s “Health Bucks” initiative provides an additional $2.00 in coupons to recipients for use at farmers’ markets for every $5.00 of food stamps benefits they have already spent there. This 40% increase in buying power at farmer’s markets encourages food stamp recipients to spend more of their monthly allotment at farmer’s markets.

Nationally, for every one dollar in food stamp dollars spent, $1.83 goes back into the local economy – in New York City, the return is close to $1.70.

3.) Unlike many supermarkets and bodegas in the City, farmer’s markets offer farm-fresh, locally-grown products:

Food stamp benefits are accepted at most stores in New York City. However, most people, regardless of income enjoy the option of shopping at an open-air market and selecting fruits and vegetables not usually available at local stores. In most instances, the farmer is at the market to answer questions about the growing and harvesting of the food being sold.

In New York City, drastic measures have been proposed to limit the use of SNAP, including a request by the Mayor to the USDA to restrict the purchase of soda for food stamp recipients. The Mayor and the Department of Health justified their request based on what they framed as a concern for the obesity and overall health issues that are prevalent among the City’s more impoverished communities. Although, it is arguable that there are many obese and affluent New Yorkers who enjoy soda among other unhealthy foods, the policy would only affect food stamp recipients. At first the conversation centered on health - food stamp recipients shouldn’t be allowed the freedom to purchase soda because it will only contribute to the growing health risks they are facing.

Now, the conversation has shifted to examining the usefulness of allowing food stamps to be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at farmer’s markets. If this was a game of “three card monty”, the unsuspecting onlooker would be keeping his eye on the wrong card, in this case food stamps. But just like in that game, there is a trick. The real card, the one that may be hard to find, is poverty. New York City has the widest wealth disparity than any other place in the nation. And as that gap between rich and poor continues to widen, so have the political and economic ideologies that created the gap.

The author of the original post is welcome to contact us at the NYC Coalition Against Hunger for facts about other programs and resources which are helpful in the elimination of hunger and poverty.
"Colossal Win: Food Stamps At Farmers’ Markets Benefit the City, the Farmer, and the Consumers!

What a colossal win!

1.) Evidence Shows There is a Huge Market for Food Stamps at Farmers’ Markets:

New York City has over 50 farmer’s markets and as of 2011, most of them accept food stamps through the use of the EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) cards. Farmers’ markets are expanding their reach and are available in all five boroughs in a number of neighborhoods. It would be useful to go to the GrowNYC website and look at the map of Greenmarkets and which ones accept EBT cards as payment.

2.) There is a Huge Demand for this Service Among Food Stamp Recipients:

Last year, there was an over 23 percent increase in the use of food stamps at famers’ markets. In 2011, the farmer’s market at Union Square saw the largest food stamp participation among all of the City’s markets, and it took in $100,000 more than the year before. Citywide, the amount was up $600,000. Furthermore, the City’s “Health Bucks” initiative provides an additional $2.00 in coupons to recipients for use at farmers’ markets for every $5.00 of food stamps benefits they have already spent there. This 40% increase in buying power at farmer’s markets encourages food stamp recipients to spend more of their monthly allotment at farmer’s markets.

Nationally, for every one dollar in food stamp dollars spent, $1.83 goes back into the local economy – in New York City, the return is close to $1.70.

3.) Unlike many supermarkets and bodegas in the City, farmer’s markets offer farm-fresh, locally-grown products:

Food stamp benefits are accepted at most stores in New York City. However, most people, regardless of income enjoy the option of shopping at an open-air market and selecting fruits and vegetables not usually available at local stores. In most instances, the farmer is at the market to answer questions about the growing and harvesting of the food being sold.

In New York City, drastic measures have been proposed to limit the use of SNAP, including a request by the Mayor to the USDA to restrict the purchase of soda for food stamp recipients. The Mayor and the Department of Health justified their request based on what they framed as a concern for the obesity and overall health issues that are prevalent among the City’s more impoverished communities. Although, it is arguable that there are many obese and affluent New Yorkers who enjoy soda among other unhealthy foods, the policy would only affect food stamp recipients. At first the conversation centered on health - food stamp recipients shouldn’t be allowed the freedom to purchase soda because it will only contribute to the growing health risks they are facing.

Now, the conversation has shifted to examining the usefulness of allowing food stamps to be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at farmer’s markets. If this was a game of “three card monty”, the unsuspecting onlooker would be keeping his eye on the wrong card, in this case food stamps. But just like in that game, there is a trick. The real card, the one that may be hard to find, is poverty. New York City has the widest wealth disparity than any other place in the nation. And as that gap between rich and poor continues to widen, so have the political and economic ideologies that created the gap.

The author of the original post is welcome to contact us at the NYC Coalition Against Hunger for facts about other programs and resources which are helpful in the elimination of hunger and poverty.