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April 8, 2008: Kaptur Kicks-Off 2008 Farmers’ Market Coupon Program |
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Marcy Kaptur joined with officials from the Northwest Ohio Area Office
on Aging at Toledo’s outdoor farmers market to kick-off the popular
Senior Farmers’ Market Coupon Program (SFMCP).
“As we come to this year’s Spring season, we welcome the start of the
Senior Farmers’ Market Coupon Program,” said Kaptur. “Since this effort
began in the summer of 2001, it has provided nearly $10 million in
fresh fruits and vegetables to thousands of our region’s older adults,
while also providing income to hundreds of local growers. We are always
looking for ways to expand the success of our local and independent
growers throughout the district. The Senior Farmers’ Market Coupon
Program does just that and encourages good nutrition for older adults.
This is an ideal way to support better nutrition and keep our food
dollars local. Since the program began, over 100 family farmers in
northwest Ohio have registered to sell home grown product and an
average of 18,000 senior citizens are participating.”
The Ohio Department of Aging and the Area Office on Aging received a
grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in the
amount of $1,187,412 to provide locally grown fresh fruits, vegetables,
and herbs to 17,000 eligible older adults citizens in Northwest Ohio.
This is the eighth consecutive year for the effort supported by Kaptur,
who serves on the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee that funds
the USDA and the Senior Nutrition grant.
Mrs. Billie Johnson, Executive Director of the Area Office on Aging,
stated, “We are very pleased to be able to offer the Farmers’ Market
Coupon Program again to our older adults. This initiative is a
wonderful way to help continue in our mission to serve older adults
while improving quality of life. We have the opportunity to expand
nutrition service options, enabling people to purchase the very best in
quality produce fresh from our own region. We have been able to develop
a strong partnership with area farmers, the State Departments of Health
and Aging, and USDA, to successfully implement a creative program
seniors have truly appreciated and fully utilized. The Farmers Market
Coupon Program is the most popular of our many offerings, with older
adults happy to put money in the pockets of local farmers while
enjoying the best of their produce.”
Dr. Rebecca Liebes, Director of Nutrition at the Area Office on Aging
noted, “We have heard from thousands of older adults who have benefited
from the program during the last seven years, many of whom were able to
enhance special diets and improve their overall health as a result of
being able to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Our goal is to
improve the diets of older adults by offering coupons to be used to
purchase fresh produce from local farmers to supplement their meals. In
turn, our elders are helping local farmers by giving them a greater
outlet to sell their produce.”
To qualify, people age 60 by June 1, 2008 with household incomes of
less than $25,900 per year for couples and $19,240 for individuals may
apply for the coupons. Larger households should add $6,660 for each
member of the household after the first two.
The Area Office on Aging explained that applications will be mailed to
all previous participants by April 15, 2008. New participants or those
who may have moved may obtain an application by calling the Area Office
on Aging at 419-382-0624 or 1-800-472-7277. Coupons will be mailed to
those who return their applications by May 31, 2008, by June 15, 2008.
Coupons will be mailed to those who return their applications after May
31, 2008 as soon as the application is processed. Once the application
is processed, eligible seniors will receive 10 - $5 coupons valid until
October 31, 2008. A list of farm markets and stands will be included
with the coupons in the mail. More than one hundred local farmers are
participating in the Senior Farmers’ Market Coupon Program this year.
Farmers will have the produce clearly marked as to what produce is
locally grown. Older adults too frail or homebound to shop may
designate someone to shop for them at the farm market or stand. This
person is called a proxy. Both the senior and his/her proxy must
complete the application.
Kaptur concluded, “This is a big plus for our region – for older adults
and family farmers. It is the only one in the state and one of the few
in the nation. It truly represents a win-win for farmers and older
adults alike. We applaud the Area Office on Aging’s bold pursuit of
this federal effort to aid older adults’ nutrition while contributing
to the economic success of family farmers.”
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