• Low income people face many barriers in obtaining a healthy and nutritious diet. Many of these, such as lack of time available for cooking are similar to those faced by middle income individuals. Other barriers, such as price considerations, lack of transportation and food access are unique to low income communities.

Guidelines for Successful Low Income Market Operation

• Low income markets generally need to be subsidized. These subsidies may take the form of Farmers' Market Nutrition Program coupons, or the patronage of middle income consumers. Market organizers may also subsidize low income market management with proceeds from wealthier markets.
• Community organizing is an essential component of any successful market in a low income community. Providing the comminity with a sense of owenership is key to institutionalizing the market.
• Low income markets should tailor their product mix to focus on basic foods at affordable prices.
• Farmers should consider hiring sales staff from the neighborhood especially in cases where they do not speak the prevailing language of the market's comsumers.
• Transportation may prove to be a significant barrier for market operation. Market organizers should consider developing transit programs to increase the market's trade ares

Policy Barriers and Opportunities

Electronic Benefits Transfer

• The lack of a farmer-friendly Electronic Benefitrs Transfer system has reduced low income persons' access to healthy produce at farmers' markets. It also threatens to reduce the income of tens of thousands of farmers. The Food and Nutrition Service should subsidize the capital costs of equipment for markets; fund demonstration programs using diverse technologies, and publish their experiences in a report; and fund community groups to conduct outreach to food stamp recipients.
• The California legislature should fund a demonstration program in high and low volume markets using different technologies.

Farmers' Market Nutrition Program

• Congress should authorize the Farmers' Market Nutrition Program under a separate identifiable appropriation from WIC to ensure the program's funding stability.
• Congress should also reduce the state match from 30% to 15% to encourage program expansion to new states, and within existing states.
• California should appropriate a minimum of $400,000 from general funds for the FMNP for FY 1999-2000

USDA Policies

• With USDA policies on farmers' markets not always synchronized, the department should conduct an inter-agency review of all policies and programs related to farmers' markets, and promulgate a cross-agency directive to support their development and operation, with particular emphasis on low income consumers. This action should take place within the framework of a larger department-wide community food security initiative.
• The House Agriculture Appropriations Committee should authorize the development of an Office of Community Food Security within USDA. One of the goals of this new office would be to promote direct marketing in low income communities.

Farmstands

• Off-farm stands in urban areas prodive an important method of improving access to healthy fruits and vegetables in low income communities. The California legislature should exempt off-farm stands operated by a non-profit organization in food access deficient areas from standard pack regulations.

For the full text of the report please contact CFSC to order.