One issue that goes unnoticed to many is providing better access to fresh produce for the poor.  The majority of those classified as poor depend on benefits from the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), otherwise known as “food stamps,” to purchase food.  The most recent Farm Bill included some major benefits for locally-oriented and organic farms, allowing greater benefits from subsidies and crop insurance for the appropriate farmers, while also including cuts to major commodities.  However, many problems come with accessing this fresher, local food, whether it is because the immediate geographic area is labeled as a “food desert” (areas that lack affordable, nutritional food) or purchasing from farmers markets is near to impossible due to the lack of electronic payment methods.  The latter problem is because, in 2004, the federal government changed the form of food stamps from paper coupons to debit cards that can only be read at electronic benefit transfer terminals, but farmers market vendors typically only take checks or cash payments.  Installing EBT systems required thousands of dollars in up front costs and a monthly fee.  Currently, a little over 24% of the nation’s farmers markets accept electronic payments.

Luckily, the USDA, food availability and anti-poverty nonprofits are working together to provide farmers markets with EBT systems.  The inspiration behind this is largely preventive, in that the area’s poor can give up processed or non-nutritious foods for the fresh produce at the farmers market. Nonprofits and poverty groups combine funds with the USDA to install EBT systems at their markets.  Then, food stamp recipients can trade their stamps for small tokens and give them to vendors.  Some programs even match the withdrawn amount up to a certain cash value to create incentives for greater participation from the poor.  There are several restrictions on what the SNAP recipient can purchase, including no non-food (such as crafts, soaps, et cetera) and no prepared food that is for immediate eating.  If the farmers market is still too far away, and food stamp recipients have ample gardening space, they can use food stamps to purchase food-bearing seeds.

I think this is a great example of the government responding to the voices and desires of constituents.  In a recent New York Times article, members of Congress from both parties have acknowledged the rise in demand for cheaper and more organic foods.  Additionally, anti-poverty advocates succeeded in recent years in influencing changes in legislation that allow more access for the poor to farmers markets.  While the going still is a little small in terms of the amount of food stamps being used at farmers markets, I would be interested in seeing what happens when (and if) the movement gains momentum.  Maybe we will have a smaller need for treatment of obesity or nutrient-deficient related illnesses.  Maybe nothing will happen if food stamp recipients still can’t get to farmers markets. Who knows.  Either way, the passage of the new Farm Bill has rung in a new era for food systems.