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Welcome to ROC's California Farmers Market Consortium Blog

Helping Local Businesses Grow
by Jezra Thompson
December 12, 2011

Most Californians’ are familiar with the Central Valley’s fruitful agricultural production, though few commonly know about the complexities that exist within this region’s food system. Even with its robust agricultural industry, Fresno’s citizens are facing a hunger crisis. Fresno’s vast farming community produces 350 different types of fruits, vegetables and nuts on various small to large-scale farms. This bounty provides most of the countries produce; however, Fresno County also faces some of the highest food insecurity in the nation. In fact, the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research reports that more than 37% of its population is food insecure, which is a serious national problem described by the USDA as someone not having enough to eat at a any given time during the year.

This intersection of mass food production with mass food insecurity is what drew the California Farmers’ Market Consortium (CFMC) to include Fresno County and to better support organizations like the Economic Opportunities Committee (EOC) working closely with the region’s community and their efforts to change the system. Within the CFMC’s capacity, the project helps support EOC in establishing more farmers markets that accept CalFresh (formerly knownasFood Stamps) to provide greater healthy food access and farmer’s with a space to sell their crops.

While most of the midscale to larger farmers in this area sell their produce to various distributors and grocery stores around the country, nationally and globally, many of the small-scale farmers are reliant upon direct marketing venues, like farmers’ markets, community supported agriculture (CSA) and farm stands. Specifically, Hmong and Lao refugee farmers, as well as Hispanic and Filipino farmers, operate many of these small farms. Many of these minority farmers are also refugee farmers that not only face language barriers, but also struggle with selling their produce to an array of customers unfamiliar with their cultures and language.

With limited space, and the difficulty of establishing farmers’ markets within the county’s zoning codes, there is stiff competition in the county. Outside of the few busy farmers’ markets there are not a lot of other options that provide a large enough customer-base to make the small farmer’s time at a Fresno market worthwhile. Given this, many of the small farmers that grow in Fresno primarily sell their produce and nuts in other farmers markets all across the state, traveling about three to fours hours down south to Los Angeles or up north to San Francisco. In response to some of these challenges EOC set out to support the numerous small farmers in the region by helping new farmers’ markets maintain their hold within the community and accept CalFresh and WIC benefits at as many farmers’ markets as possible.

The farmers’ markets in Fresno, like most of the farmers’ markets benefiting from the CFMC incentive project, help bridge the gap between consumer and producer. In this scenario, all parties’ benefit, and, in Fresno’s case, there’s an opportunity to support local entrepreneurial activity as well, which is imperative for a county facing severe job loss. This brings in more federal dollars directly into Fresno’s local businesses, helps CalFresh customers stretch their federal benefit dollars to purchase more locally grown produce, and represents added income for the farmers. These may be small steps, but it helps to localize part of the agricultural economy and make food access a community tool.

Solving Fresno’s hunger crisis is a huge challenge, and with EOC’s efforts the CFMC is one part of the solution that also engages the farmers in the region. The CFMC is working towards demonstrating a successful model for approaching the broken food system. On a regional level the CFMC is tying these issues and solutions to our collective statewide efforts that keeps money within its community, helps feed disadvantaged individuals, and keeps businesses afloat. Together, and through small interventions, we can create big change. 

 

Beginning Farmers, New Techniques
by Jezra Thompson
October 17, 2011

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is an organization dedicated to helping refugees around the world rebuild their lives. Roots of Change (ROC) has partnered with IRC San Diego, where they are helping refugees learn to farm, create successful businesses and build community. As a partner of the California Farmer’s Market Consortium (CFMC), IRC is working to increase the sales of fruits, veggies and nuts grown by these farmers and others throughout California. Many of these farmers are primarily reliant upon direct marketing for most of their income. Through outreach efforts, they are making these foods more accessible to those using their CalFresh benefits (formerly known as food stamps), WIC (Special Nutrition Assistance Program for Women Infants and Children) and SSI (Supplemental Security Income) recipients. With additional grant funding from ROC and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) as part of the County of San Diego’s Healthy Works program, IRC’s farmers’ market incentive program, called Fresh Fund, offers these customers additional market money to purchase more fresh produce at five farmers’ markets throughout the city. In 2010, these markets offered over $80,000 in Fresh Fund incentives and redeemed over $41,000 in CalFresh benefits, thus increasing these farmer’s incomes and increasing the ability of many low-income customers to purchase more fruits and vegetables.  

 

During ROC’s latest visit to IRC we were able to talk with some of the refugee farmers benefiting from this program. ROC toured both IRC’s New Roots Community Farm and the Fairmont AquaFarm. The New Roots Community Farm is a 2.3-acre community garden maintained by 80 families from Latin America, Africa and Asia who farm alongside one another, sharing food, techniques and resources.  The Fairmont AquaFarm is exploring new ways of growing vegetables and herbs with limited water sources and without using soil or chemicals. It was an extra perk to hear about how the CFMC project and the CDC funding has increased these farmer’s incomes, making it easier for them to farm. Both IRC’s farms are a great way to engage the community by promoting healthy eating and selling locally grown produce at IRC’s farmers’ markets.

 

Check out Malaki Obado’s story to see how this project is making a difference in his life and community.  

NEW ROOTS COMMUNITY FARM from breeefcase on Vimeo.

 

Let’s Celebrate Food in Humboldt County
by Portia Bramble, Executive Director, NCGA and Jezra Thompson
September 26, 2011

This September, ROC’s California Farmers Market Consortium (CFMC) partner, Food for People, celebrates the fifth year of Humboldt County’s Local Food Month. Food Month represents the collaborative effort between county and city officials supporting the county’s rich agricultural history. During this time, Humboldt County features several events that highlight their uniquely successful local food system, which includes thriving farmers’ markets that feature farm fresh products grown within the county lines.

One of the many local food achievements to celebrate this month highlights the work of the North Coast Growers’ Association (NCGA), through a partnership with the local food bank and Food for People (FFP). They joined the CFMC to offer CalFresh customers incentives to purchase fresh fruits, nuts and vegetables sold at all five of their weekly farmers’ markets in Arcata, Eureka, and McKinleyville. During 2011 the incentive program has helped farmers’ markets double the number of CalFresh dollars spent on these fresh, healthful products.

Direct marketing of agricultural products have become increasingly popular throughout the United States with the rise in farmers’ markets and CSAs in the recent years. Humboldt County has been ahead of the trend, given their abundance of agricultural production, high volume of farming families, quality products, and the commitment from local consumers to eating locally produced foods. These tight community bonds that have formed in the remote, and often isolated county, have also given them strength and prosperity. However, having ties to the larger local food movement and the support of other organizations, such as ROC, has allowed NCGA and FFP to realize even more of their potential.

Greg Rhodes is one of two hundred CSA shareholders at DeepSeeded Community Farm in Arcata. As a weekly shopper at the Arcata Plaza Saturday farmers’ market, he said “without the ability to use my CalFresh benefits at the farmers’ market and my added incentive dollars I wouldn’t be able to afford and provide for my family with fresh fruits and vegetables.” Because NCGA is a farmer-member organization serving over 100 family farms, they are able to serve the unique needs of their community through direct daily contact with their farmers. This relationship helps NCGA facilitates a system of weekly payments for CSA shares. These types of relationships are what contribute to such a vibrant and successful agricultural system in the north coast.

The NCGA farmers are also the largest donors to the FFP food pantries, contributing 76,207 pounds of produce from direct donations and gleaning between September 1, 2009 and October 30, 2010. The partnership between NCGA and FFP has served both organizations well for many years. Now, they have formed a relationship with other organizations across California who operate similar incentive projects at farmers’ markets.

Humboldt County may be located in a remote area, but it has a rich and deep history in small-scale agriculture, growing crops such as wheat, peaches, sweet corn, dry beans, heirloom apples and unique varieties of tomatoes. The farmers in this region are forced to creatively think about producing and consuming within their dramatic and lush environment. NCGA and FFP’s unique models and extraordinary work have demonstrated a successful model that is growing the local region’s food movement.

Growing and Feeding LA
By Holly Calhoun at SEE-LA, Frank Tamborella at HALA and Jezra Thompson
August 31, 2011

 

California’s landscape is expansive, stretching 163,707 square miles from desert sand to lush redwood forests. The diverse geography is famous for some of the liveliest cities, but is primarily composed of agricultural land. California is the largest agricultural producer in the country and grows an array of specialty crops—generally fruits, vegetables and nuts. California’s crops travel all over the country and are exported across the world. Many of these crops are produced on small farms and sold at farmers’ markets. Through the California Farmer’s Market Consortium (CFMC), ROC partners with eight community-based organizations that work closely with consumers and farmers to improve access to healthy, fresh produce grown in their region’s backyards. Today, we will feature two of our Los Angeles (LA) partners, Sustainable Economic Enterprises LA (SEE-LA) and Hunger Action LA (HALA), working  to connect food, health and its people.

Not too long ago, in the 1960’s, LA was the nation’s top agricultural producer. Currently, the vast majority of farms and ranches that once farmed in and around LA have shifted to the central valley and central coast, but the County remains a fertile plain that continues to produce food. The city’s proximity to these peri-urban farms actually presents opportunities to bring greater healthy food access to underserved areas. The CFMC partners with two organizations in LA who provide low-income shoppers the ability to increase the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables they buy directly from the farmer who grew them.

SEE-LA and HALA not only bring more low-income customers accessing federal benefit programs into their farmers’ markets, they have strong relationships with the farmers that sell at their markets. We spoke with Holly Calhoun, Program Coordinator at SEE-LA, about one particular market’s experience with accepting federal benefits, CalFresh (formerly known as the Food Stamp Program) and WIC (Special Nutrition Assistance Program for Women Infants and Children), and how the incentive program has helped their farmers and the market as a whole.

Israel Castellanos has a family farm in Riverside County and sells at seven of SEE-LA’s certified farmers’ markets. He stopped attending the Central Avenue Farmers’ Market, operated by SEE-LA, for the first time in seven years this last January, 2011. This farmers’ market is in a very low-income area and had always struggled to recruit and retain farmers to serve the South Central LA community. For SEE LA and the customers, it was hard loosing a farmer that had reliably piled enormous heads of red and green leaf lettuce, succulent tomatoes, tender squash, flavorful peppers, and aromatic herbs onto his table for so many years. It was a particularly tough blow to the market. Castellanos had a difficult time deciding to leave the market, but after seven years of experiencing peak sales in the summer months when seasonal Women Infant and Children Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) coupons are issued to low-income mothers and no longer offered for the rest of the year, he was faced with a fluctuating income.

“It was hard to keep selling at this market after WIC benefits ran out. It was very slow. Sometimes I didn’t even make enough for the gas to and from the market,” said Castallenos.


In March, the Central Avenue Farmers’ Market launched the Veggie Voucher program, offering $2 in cash value vouchers for every $5 of CalFresh spent at the market. Veggie Vouchers are an incentive for CalFresh customers to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at the farmers’ markets.  After starting this program, Castellanos returned to the market in March 2011. He says that the Veggie Voucher program makes a big difference in his ability to sell at the Central Avenue Farmers’ Market.  Even after FMNP benefits are no longer offered for the year, he says “the market is pretty steady. We’re doing okay.”

Similar to most cities, accessing healthy food depends on whether we live in proximity to public services and food outlets. Our ability to purchase healthy produce is also determined by our ability to spend money on the food that is most nutritious. While many farmers’ markets, like the Central Avenue Farmers’ Market, have accepted EBT for many years, this doesn’t mean that buying fresh produce at these venues is financially savvy for many of us struggling within these economic hard times. With the rise of obesity, diabetes and cancer, it’s now more important than ever to put healthy choices within the reach of everyone. Deborah Salsbury, a loyal customer of the Adams/Vermont Farmers’ Market and participant in HALA’s Veggie Voucher Program, tells Executive Director Frank Tamborello that,

“We really need to watch what we eat—lots of veggies and fruit. This program really helps to stretch the dollar. Thanks for taking the time to serve this community”


The struggle for consumers to afford healthy food and for small farmers to support themselves is not entirely unique to LA, but is rather a reflection of the larger food economy and culture. SEE-LA and HALA are organizations fueled by hard working people dedicated to these projects. Working together, the CFMC, along with SEE-LA and HALA, are providing access to healthy food grown in the LA region. These partners are imperative to the success of the California Farmers Market Consortium (CFMC) and we look forward to continuing this project in LA.

HALA and SEE-LA continue to move LA forward, but they need your vote to continue supporting their efforts. Please help fund their Veggie Voucher program by clicking here to vote for their project in GOOD Magazine before Wednesday, September 7.

For more information please visit:

SEE-LA farmers’ markets: http://www.see-la.org/html/projects.html and http://www.farmernet.com
SEE-LA Farmer’s Kitchen Project: http://www.hollywoodfarmerskitchen.org/
HALA farmers markets and Veggie Voucher Program: http://www.hungeractionla.org/dox/VV%20updated%20One%20pager.pdf

Improving Healthy Food Access and Small Farm Livelihoods
By Jezra Thompson
June 30, 2011

California is the fifth largest food producer in the world, generating $100 billion in related economic activity. The state’s urban, suburban and rural communities rely on California as a leading provider of over 50% of the nation’s specialty crops. Over 80% of these crops are produced by small farmers cultivating fruits, vegetables, and nuts, and often struggle to grow and sell sustainably and profitably. For many low-income populations, the high cost and lack of market venues for fresh fruits and vegetables is a major obstacle to better nutrition.

In 2008, over six million Californians were considered food insecure, meaning they lacked access to enough food at some point during the year. In fact, California is one of the top five states receiving the most federal food assistance benefits in the form of CalFresh, formerly known as the food stamps, and about half of those receiving CalFresh are children. Only 50% of those that are eligible to receive benefits actually apply. This means there are untapped federal dollars and a new customer base for the state’s specialty crop farmers. According to the USDA, for every one-dollar spent in CalFresh benefits, there is an additional $1.85 cycled back into the local economy. California could benefit from billions in additional economic activity if 100% of those that were eligible received CalFresh benefits.

With this as a backdrop, ROC is working with eight partners across the State to improve the nutritional and economic well being of disadvantaged communities and increase the incomes of our small and medium farmers through the California Farmers’ Market Consortium (CFMC).

The CFMC links those that produce fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts with those that need these healthy foods through direct marketing venues that accept CalFresh benefits, like farmers markets, farm stands and community-supported agriculture (CSA). These venues can also accept Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children (WIC) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits that are accessed by seniors and the disabled, making fresh healthy specialty crops available to consumers that are often priced out of these markets. The CFMC partners are also helping more venues to accept CalFresh and other benefits because only about 10% are currently equipped to do so.

The CFMC is composed of market managers and community organizations, state and local public health officials that share information to develop best practices for attracting new customers to these marketing venues. CFMC partners offer a monetary incentive ‘top-up’ matching money of 50% or 100% percent (depending on the market) to attract the targeted clients. For example, for every $10 of federal benefits spent at a farmers market, the customer receives an extra $5 that can only be spent on specialty crops. Collectively, the CFMC has raised over $300,000 for top-up in under two years. Over 850 individual farmers throughout the state and countless federal benefit customers have benefited from this extra money at over 60 farmers markets from San Diego to Humboldt County.

As an extension of the CFMC and its goals, ROC also partners with doctors and health clinics to provide veggie prescriptions that can be redeemed at farmers markets for specialty crops. This program is called Veggie Rx and enables health professionals to provide low-income families that experience nutrition related illnesses with vouchers, similar to top-up.

At the national level, ROC has partnered with three organizations, Wholesome Wave, Fair Food Network and Market Umbrella, to better understand the impact of these nutrition incentive programs and then inform the Congress of their value in combating the nation’s health crisis. The CFMC partners, in California and nationally, do extraordinary work to create a just and equitable food system for all. Stay tuned as ROC features stories on the CFMC partners and their efforts to bridge the food gap.