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Impact Report Impact Report Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) Grant & California’s Market Match A PROGRAM OF THE ECOLOGY CENTER • FEBRUARY, 2018 Making Fresh 2015–2017 FINI XAffordable Grant Report This report shows that a federal incentive grant can leverage state and local resources to increase the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables by low-income shoppers. And that increase improves the economic vitality of small and medium size farms. A classic win-win for two significant communities—greater health, thereby reduced costs, for low-income consumers, and increased financial sustainability for small- and medium-scale farmers. In April, 2015, the U.S. Department benefits SNAP( , known as CalFresh of Agriculture awarded California’s in California) at farmers’ markets in Ecology Center one of the first ever California, Market Match provides a Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive financial match—an incentive to buy (FINI) grants. The goal: To see whether even more fruits and vegetables. For the $3.7 million federal grant, matched example, a shopper who wishes to with local resources, could motivate spend $10 of SNAP benefits at a farmers’ even more low-income shoppers to market gets an extra $10 to spend on seek fresh fruits and vegetables at fresh produce. more of the state’s farmers’ markets. That growth would achieve two goals: The Ecology Center in Berkeley now improve the health and vitality leads Market Match, which is currently of low-income Californians, and offered at nearly 300 locations where increase the financial sustainability farms sell directly to the community, of small and medium family farms like farmers’ markets, produce stands, and their employees. and Community Supported Agriculture programs (CSAs.) The program is California’s Market Match—a program available in 31 counties, meaning a begun in 2009 by Roots of Change— financial boon to farmers in those rural was the model the FINI grant sought communities working to boost the to expand. It’s a simple model: when farm-to-fork economy through low- people use their federal nutrition overhead market access. FINI grant fueled a 275 288 107% increase in Market Match sites 224 139 153 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Expanded access MARKET MATCH SITES 213,573 FINI grant encouraged a 453% jump 181,104 in Market Match transactions 130,977 59,493 38,590 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Customers served MARKET MATCH TRANSACTIONS “We knew that California receiving FINI grant one of USDA’s first everFINI grants would expand access to fresh fruits and vegetables. What has been so remarkable is how that one grant has leveraged such a positive return for the health of our citizens and for the economic vitality of our state’s farmers and communities that support farmers’ markets. This is a program where the dividends far exceed the initial investment.” Secretary Karen Ross, CA Department of Food & Agriculture Market Match promotes a USC Evaluation Findings Culture of health The Ecology Center worked with the University of Southern California to con- Shoppers duct an evaluation of the impact of the FINI Grant on its Market Match program. have increased Through 2,351 shopper and 96 farmer surveys, interviews, and direct observa- the amount of tion, the USC evaluators noted: fresh fruits & % / increases in fruit and vegetable vegetables they purchase and consumption; 73 / strong evidence of benefit to farmers buy each week and their communities; and / increased access to fresh fruits and vegetables, leading to improved health for consumers. That increase in consumption may correlate to a significant reduction in % health care costs, based on a 2017 study in the American Journal of Preventive % 85 Medicine.* are buying The cost effectiveness analysis looked at the impact of subsidizing fruit and 67 different kinds vegetable purchases for low-income have increased of fruits & households enrolled in SNAP. the number of vegetables trips they make to Researchers found changes farmers’ markets in dietary intake likely to result from such incentives were sufficient to result in a “My husband and I had 1.7% reduced incidence in gained lots of weight, % type 2 diabetes, which in Cal- but now we are trying to ifornia translates into a health 71say their follow clean eating. We’ve family’s health care savings approaching noticed more activity and has improved $469 million a year.^ higher energy levels.” “It’s been a major transformation. I used to eat out every day, and was overweight. Now I make time for good fruits and veggies because The 2015 FINI grant allowed Market Match makes them affordable.” Market Match to be piloted at new types of outlets—farm stands, Community Supported Agriculture “Being able to eat new foods has completely changed (CSA) programs, and Mobile the way my family and I live our lives. We understand the Farmers’ Markets, implemented importance of a healthy lifestyle.” in Sacramento, the San Francisco USC Evaluation Findings Market Match promotes a Culture of growth Market Match is a farm-forward Farmers program that supports healthy food choices and the future of farming in California. Driving additional customers and revenue for farmers at farmers’ sell more markets and other direct-to-consumer locations means supporting some of fruits & the most innovative and diverse farm % operations, including many who focus vegetables on sequestering carbon and flexing 84 their farming practices to adapt to climate change. Direct-to-consumer sales means farmers and their communities get the full financial benefit of their sales, rather % than less than 20% of the dollar return in a traditional retail operation, according % 74 to the National Farmers Union Farmer’s Share Report. And Market Match at 65 make more farmers’ markets returns nearly twice as much money to California farmers see more money and farm communities as do sales at customers national chains, according to a 2016 study from sales from University of California Davis. Researchers there found that farmers “Farming is a struggle with slim margins. selling locally create 13 full time jobs for every $1 million earned versus 3 jobs for Market Match increases SNAP spending, those selling in other markets.† adding revenue that keeps us at the farmers’ market every week. It means we * ”Cost Effectiveness of Subsidizing Fruit and Vegetable Purchases Through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance bring dollars back to some of the most Program,” Sung Eun Choi, SM, Hilary Seligman, MD, MAS, Sanjay Basu, MD, PhD. May 2017. high-need rural communities in the ^ Based on estimated annual cost of $27.6 billion to state, and make our customers happy.” California for treating diabetes, via government, private insurers, and patients, according to the American Diabetes Tim Mueller, owner, River Dog Farm, Capay Valley Association. † “Economic Impact of Local Food Producers in the Sacra- mento Region”, Shermain Hardesty, Libby O. Christensen, Erin McGuire, Gail Feenstra, Chuck Ingels, Jim Muck, Julia Boorinakis-Harper, Cindy Fake, and Scott Oneto. Spring 2016. 37% have expanded their Bay Area, and Los Angeles. These operations with new hires, innovative farm-direct sites made equipment, acreage, purchasing local food more & crops convenient and accessible. Mobile markets traveled to multiple communities, enabling residents to shop in their own neighborhoods. The Power of Example: Partnership Los Angeles County Market Match is built on social capital - people LEAD PARTNERS and relationships. Using a network model, the Encino Farmers’ Market Ecology Center acts as the central hub, providing Hunger Action Los Angeles grant administration, training, and promotions to 50 subcontracting lead partners. Model Neighborhood Program Social Justice Each lead partner has a network of its own, Learning Institute implementing and promoting the local or regional Market Match program. Since Market Match provides Sustainable Economic benefits to multiple stakeholders with the same dollar, Enterprises of Los Angeles the program has an incredibly diverse partnership base, as highlighted by the Los Angeles region COMMUNITY PARTNERS featured on the map. This network model is key to First 5 Los Angeles the success of the statewide Market Match program, Harbor Area Farmers Markets and allows the program its incredible reach. Inglewood Business Expansion Club For example, in Los Angeles, First 5 LA provided the largest single source of non-federal match for the Kaiser Permanente Ecology Center’s FINI grant, and the Department Southern California of Public Social Services (DPSS), which administers LA Community Action Network SNAP, promoted the Market Match program to its LA County Department 600,000 SNAP households. of Parks and Recreation LA County Department of At the heart of it all is the Ecology Center, Public Social Services th coming up on its 50 year of inspiring LA Department of Public Health sustainable and healthy solutions for LA Food Policy Council California. Its team trains, convenes, and Los Angeles City Council builds capacity for the Market Match Districts 8, 9, 13, & 15 Community of Practice through webinars, Pasadena Unified School District in-person trainings, one-on-one site visits, and an internal Market Match website, Public Health Foundation Enterprises WIC toolkit, and listserv. They have assured grant compliance, cultivated capacity in lead South Los Angeles Health Projects partners and farmers’ markets, and built the body of knowledge around the impact of SOVA Food Pantry healthy food incentives. Participating in the Thai Community FINI grant
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