RE-AIM Report: EBT Acceptance at Placer County Farmers Markets

RE-AIM Report: EBT Acceptance at Placer County Farmers’ Markets

Public Health Institute Center for Wellness and Nutrition

Placer Get Fresh Project

FFY2016

BACKGROUND

Placer County has a rich agricultural heritage and is home to at least ten farmers’ markets across the county. In 2015, only one of those farmers’ markets (Denio’s Swap Meet and Farmers’ Market in Roseville) accepted EBT as a form of payment. EBT shoppers were effectively excluded from accessing the fresh, locally grown produce available at markets in their communities. From May through October of 2016, Public Health Institute Center for Wellness and Nutrition (PHI CWN), as part of the Placer Get Fresh Project, directly implemented and managed the acceptance of EBT at the Auburn DeWitt Center Farmers’ Market as well as the Truckee Certified Farmers’ Market. Through a partnership with Health Education Council and Alchemist Community Development Corporation, CWN secured supplemental funding to providing direct staffing of the EBT booth at the Auburn DeWitt Center Farmers’ Market and the Truckee Certified Farmers’ Market through the USDA’s Farmers’ Market SNAP Support Grant (FMSSG). The FMSSG also provided funding to provide training and technical assistance to Salle Orchards, operator of two farmers’ markets in Lincoln, around acceptance of EBT at those markets.

REACH

Placer County has a SNAP-Ed eligible population of approximately 70,733 persons. During the 2016 market season, staff observed an estimated 1280 non-unique shoppers that visited the Auburn DeWitt Center Farmers’ Market and approximate 2085 non-unique shoppers that visited the Truckee Certified Farmers’ Market. Shopper estimates for the two farmers’ markets in Lincoln are unknown.

EFFECTIVENESS

During the first year of implementation, 32 non-unique EBT shoppers spent $345 dollars at the Auburn DeWitt Center Farmers’ Market and 23 non-unique shoppers spent $558 at the Truckee Certified Farmers’ Market. The Downtown Lincoln Farmers’ Market had $84 in EBT sales (number of transactions/shoppers is unknown) and $0 in EBT sales at the Sun City Lincoln Hills Farmers’ Market.

ADOPTION

In Placer County, organizations which are actively involved in establishing acceptance of EBT include PHI CWN, Salle Orchards, Health Education Council, and Alchemist Community Development Corporation. Nevada County Public Health was actively involved in establishing acceptance of EBT at the Truckee Certified Farmers’ Market. Truckee lies in Nevada County, near the border with Placer County, and therefore serves residents of both counties. In 2016, the number of farmers’ markets serving Placer County residents that accepted EBT was six (four in Placer County and two in Truckee).

IMPLEMENTATION

The Auburn area is a SNAP-Ed setting with a multi-component initiative. Get Fresh Project staff conduct regular nutrition education workshops at the Auburn CalWORKS office and at other community-based organizations. Staff also conduct food demonstrations at the Auburn CalFresh office, located at the Auburn DeWitt Center, simultaneously promoting EBT acceptance at the DeWitt Center Farmers’ Market. Get Fresh Project staff distributed farmer’s market promotional flyers to the both the CalFresh and CalWORKS offices as well as to community based organizations. SNAP recipients in the county received promotional flyers included in the CalFresh intake and recertification packets. A local newspaper, the Auburn Journal, ran a story on EBT acceptance at the market titled, “CalFresh now accepted at Auburn farmers’ market.” The Auburn DeWitt Center Farmers’ Market is a small market operated by Placer Grown farmers’ market association and had about nine farmer vendors participating each week. Fruits and vegetables at this market were of high quality, moderate price, and good variety. Customer service at the farmers’ market is fairly culturally and linguistically competent. The EBT booth staff as well as two farmer vendors speak both Spanish. Other languages and cultures are not represented at the market.

In Truckee, promotional flyers were delivered to a low-income housing complex nearby the farmers’ market location as well as the family resource center. Promotional posters were displayed in the Truckee CalFresh and WIC offices. A local newspaper, the Sierra Sun, ran a story which included information about EBT acceptance at the Truckee Certified Farmers’ Market titled, “Truckee-North Tahoe farmers market season hits full swing this weekend.” The Truckee Certified Farmers’ Market is a larger market in operation for over 20 years and had about 19 vendors participating each week in 2016. The fruits and vegetables sold at this market are of very high quality, moderate to high price, and good variety. Similarly to the Auburn market, the EBT booth staff as well as a few vendors speak both Spanish and English. Other languages/cultures are not represented at the market.

MAINTENANCE

In 2016, there were 11 farmers’ markets that served Placer County residents. Of those markets, six accepted EBT (five of those markets for the first time in 2016). None of the markets offered bonus incentive programs. Non-SNAP-Ed resources invested in establishment of EBT acceptance include:

staff time of PHI CWN staff to provide on-site EBT processing at two markets as well as some back-end administration of processes and funds
costs to print promotional fliers is provided by the FMSSG
costs of travel to and from the markets is provided by the FMSSG
staff time of Alchemist CDC to provide back-end administration of FNS funds and farmer checks, funded by the FMSSG
staff time of Health Education Council staff to provide additional promotional assistance, funded by the FMSSG
in-kind support of staff time from Salle Orchards to implement and administer FNS funds EBT processing at the two Lincoln markets

SNAP-Ed resources invested in the establishment of EBT acceptance include:

staff time of PHI CWN staff to coordinate the implementation of EBT acceptance as well as promote the market among SNAP-Ed eligible residents
staff time of Nevada County Public Health NEOP staff to promote the market among SNAP-Ed eligible residents

Placer Get Fresh Project FFY2016