Seniors from all over California traveled to the State Capitol this week for Senior Rally Day, an annual gathering led by the Seniors Count Coalition. CDFA’s Office of Grants Administration was there to spread the word about the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, a 100 percent federally funded effort which provides low-income seniors with check booklets that can be used to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, cut herbs and honey at Certified Farmers’ Markets all over the state.
CDFA partners with California Department of Public Health’s Women, Infants and Children’s Program (WIC) in certifying farmers and markets to accept the check booklets. CDFA also partners with California’s 32 Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) to distribute the SFMNP check booklets, which include 5 checks redeemable for $4 each.
The program is administered nationally by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Services Agency, and in California, by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA).