Food Stamps, WIC & Senior's Coupons Accepted at Montana Farmers' Markets
For a list of the Montana farmers' markets that accept WIC and Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program coupons, click here view the Montana Farmers' Markets Directory.
WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program
The Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) is associated with the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, popularly know as WIC, which provides supplemental foods, health care referrals and nutrition education at no cost to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to 5 years of age, who are found to be at nutritional risk. The program was established by Congress in July 1992 to provide fresh, nutritious, unprepared, locally grown fruits and vegetables to WIC participants, and to expand the awareness, use of and sales at farmers’ markets. Eligible WIC participants receive FMNP coupons in addition to their regular WIC food instruments. These coupons are used to buy fresh, unprepared locally grown, fruits, vegetables and herbs from farmers, farmers' markets and roadside stands that have been approved by the state to accept FMNP coupons.
For additional information about the WIC FMNP, please visit their website at: www.fns.usda.gov/wic. For information on the program in Montana, contact the WIC Manager, Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services, (406) 444-5285.
Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program
The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program is a program that awards grants to States, U.S. Territories, and Indian tribal governments to provide coupons that can be used by seniors to buy eligible foods at farmers’ markets, roadside stands and community supported agriculture programs. In 2006 USDA awarded nearly $16 million in grants to 38 States, the District of Columbia, six Indian Tribal Organizations and Puerto Rico. State departments of agriculture, aging, and health and tribal governments administering the grants have developed creative partnerships to offer farmers' markets to expand service to seniors and to certify and distribute benefits to more than 750,000 low-income seniors. In an effort to eliminate barriers to access, several programs are providing seniors with transportation to and from the markets through a partnership with senior centers or have arranged for local growers to take their produce directly to senior housing facilities.
For additional information about the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, please visit their website at: www.fns.usda.gov/wic. For information on the program in Montana, contact the WIC Manager, Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services, (406) 444-5285.
Additional Information
Montana Farmers' Market Masters interested in assistance with accepting these coupons at their markets should visit www.ncat.org/special/market_managers.php.
For additional assistance with Montana Farmers' Markets, please contact the Montana Department of Agriculture at (406) 444-5424, or by email at agr@mt.gov.
