WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- North Carolina farmers markets increasingly are relying on technology to keep up access to fresh food during the pandemic.

Co-founder of the Cobblestone Farmers Market in Winstom-Salem Margaret Norfleet-Neff said at the height of the pandemic learning curve, new safety protocols dramatically reduced the number of vendors and customers each Saturday morning.

Before COVID, the market averaged 4,000 people a weekend. She realized in order to keep up access to fresh food, shopping had to be expanded throughout the week with online pre-order and payment options, as well as drive-through pick-up.

She said a number of technologies can help farmers markets serve different community groups when going online.

"Whether somebody is using an EBT card or a regular credit card, or a check, or any of those things, the better we work out those systems so that it's super easy, yes, I think it creates a much broader accessibility to fresh food," Norfleet-Neff said.

A $4,000 community mini-grant from the American Heart Association and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina allowed Norfleet-Neff to implement the changes and hire more staff.

She pointed out that while fewer people relied on the market at the start of the COVID-19 crisis, she believes expanding online ordering and drive-through pick-up will allow more customers, especially seniors, SNAP recipients, and Women, Infant and Children (WIC) program participants to buy food contact-free as the pandemic stretches on.

"The numbers decreased -- I'll say they decreased onsite -- when we put the two together, still a dip, but the purchasing power was higher across the board," she said.

Linda King, director of community impact at the American Heart Association, said food access in the Triad region continues to be challenge during the pandemic.

"A lot of organizations that we're hearing from are saying our need is 3-4 times greater than it's ever been," King said. "For the Triad, nutrition security is already an issue because we have 47 food deserts. So, that's an issue in and of itself."

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, producers across the country increasingly are selling goods directly to consumers through farmers markets, and a growing number of markets now accept SNAP benefits. The USDA reports the number of SNAP households shopping at their local farmers market jumped by more than 35% between 2012 and 2017.

A new program in Indiana will ensure year-round access to nutritious meals for students statewide.

The Summer Electronic Transfer program provides a one-time $120 payment for school-aged children on an EBT card. The card can be used at grocery stores, farmers markets and other retailers.

Emily Weikert Bryant, executive director of Feeding Indiana's Hungry, said history shows programs such as SUN Bucks are effective.

"What we learned from the pandemic is that when we provide benefits like this, allowing families to pickup on behalf of their children made a tremendous difference in reducing food insecurity amongst kids during the pandemic," Weikert Bryant observed. "Particularly during the summer."

Local schools will discuss eligibility with parents and families. Additionally, free meals are available at SUN Meals sites throughout communities. Funding for the initiative is provided by the state and the U-S-D-A.

Weikert Bryant said SUN Bucks serves as a crucial lifeline, ensuring no child goes hungry during the summer months. The program reflects Indiana's commitment to fostering the well-being of Hoosier kids, ensuring they receive nutritious meals to thrive personally and academically. She described who qualifies.

"Children are eligible for the program if the household already participates in SNAP, TANF -- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families -- or income-based Medicaid," Weikert Bryant outlined. "Or if the student has been identified as a ward of the state; a foster child, homeless or migrant."

Those children will automatically receive benefits. Families who do not qualify for those programs but have children who receive free and reduced priced meals need to apply for the program. The application deadline is May 1.


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Alabama is one of 14 states opting out of the 2024 summer electronic benefit program.

As summer rolls around, there will be no programs in place to help low-income families with grocery costs.

LaTrell Clifford Wood, hunger policy advocate for the group Alabama Arise, said as a result, more than 500,000 children who usually receive free or reduced lunch could go without meals. She noted while summer feeding programs will be available, they will not reach everyone in need.

"Ninety-four percent of Alabama children who rely on free and reduced-price meals won't have access to them over the summer," Clifford Wood reported. "That means that only 6% of the children who rely on those meals during the school year are going to be fed through summer feeding programs."

Clifford Wood warned limited hours, transportation and strict program rules will hinder many families from benefiting from such vital programs. The Alabama Legislature did not allocate the necessary $15 million for the program by the end of the last session. However, Clifford Wood noted there is a chance the program will be funded in the summer of 2025.

As legislators focus on next year's budgets, Clifford Wood stressed the need for funding next summer's EBT program. She pointed out Alabama Arise is calling for lawmakers to allocate funds from the Education Trust Fund to combat child hunger, affecting one in four children in the state.

"This is a program that's been tested for 13 years," Clifford Wood emphasized. "It's had three rigorous evaluation periods, and it was shown to improve the diet of children and decrease children's food hardship by a third."

Clifford Wood believes prioritizing children's needs and addressing food insecurity is a form of preventive care and serves as an early investment in the state's overall wellness.

The Food Research and Action Center said funding the e-benefits program would also benefit the economy - adding anywhere from $98 million to $117 million. The Alabama Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee is expected to vote on the budget next week.

California's program helping low-income families buy fresh fruit and vegetables is on the chopping block and health care advocates are asking legislators to save the Market Match program.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed cutting most of the program's $35 million budget to help close the state's budget shortfall.

Sophia Vaccaro, a participant in Market Match from Echo Park, said she depends on Market Match in more ways than one.

"It helps people being able to stretch their budget further," Vaccaro explained. "Then, I think it helps the community, in that it creates a sense of camaraderie at the farmers' market and makes people more invested in the community itself."

The program matches every dollar CalFresh customers spend on fresh fruits and vegetables at a farmer's market up to between $10 and $20 per day. It is active at 294 sites across the state and is partially paid for through federal matching funds.

Dr. John Maa, surgeon at Marin Health Medical Center and board member of the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of the American Heart Association, said Market Match promotes healthy eating and boosts the local farm economy.

"An improved diet really will have long-term meaningful impacts on health, and also reduce health care costs," Maa explained. "It really helps to sustain the growers and the merchants. I guess it's a win-win-win."

Siu Han Cheung, outreach coordinator for the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation and board member of the Heart of the City Farmers' Market, argued the program is vital to residents across the state.

"If the Market Match will be cut, that is terrible," Cheung stressed. "That means they have less money to buy their food. So, Market Match is very important for the low-income families and the seniors."

Legislators and the governor are working toward the May budget revisions, and must pass a balanced budget by June 15.