Programs :: Coupon Program

The Farmers' Market Nutrition and Coupon Program

The Nutrition & Coupon Program Resource Kit is Now Available!

We are pleased to announce the availability of the Farmers' Market Nutrition and Coupon Program (FMNCP) Resource Kit, a tool designed to help communities launch and sustain their own community-based coupon programs. The FMNCP Resource Kit is a step-by-step guide for farmers' markets and community groups, with tips, templates and resources from four grass roots community-run FMNCPs (Fort St. James, Revelstoke, Squamish and Surrey).

First Run Pricing

$25/CD plus HST for members
$35/CD plus HST for non-members

For information about receiving a copy of the FMNCP Resource Kit please call 604-734-9797 or email info@bcfarmersmarket.org.

This resource builds on the success of the province-wide Coupon Project that was managed by the BC Association of Farmers' Markets from 2007 – 2009 with three years of funding from the Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance. Due to a lack of funding, the successful project came to an end in 2010, but demand for the program continued and the BCAFM decided to develop a Farmers' Market Nutrition & Coupon Program Resource Kit to help communities start their own community-based FMNCPs.

What is a Farmers' Market Nutrition & Coupon Program?

An FMNCP provides low-income families who are participating in cooking and skill-building programs with coupons each week to spend at their local farmers' market. Participants can use the coupons to purchase eligible products including fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, nuts, dairy and fresh cut herbs. Within cooking and skill-building sessions, participants learn to cook healthy, nutritious meals using locally procured farm products.

Project Background (2007 – 2009)

The FMNCP started as a pilot project in 2007 in 5 communities around British Columbia, running for 15 weeks. In 2008, the project expanded to 10 communities and to 17 weeks. In 2009, the project expanded to 16 communities participating in a 17-week season.

The FMNCP was cancelled for the 2010 season, due to lack of funding. As a province wide initiative of the BCAFM, the FMNCP brought dollars to local farmers & farmers' markets and supported close to 3,000 low income families and children in accessing local, nutritious food since its inception in 2007.

The BCAFM will continue to evaluate reinstating a provincially run FMNCP as the economic climate shifts and more funds become available.

How the Provincially-run BCAFM Project Worked

BCAFM member farmers' markets were matched with one or more community group, who operated a cooking and skill building program for low income families with children and/or low income pregnant women. The coupons were distributed weekly to participating families as part of their cooking and skill building programs. Families were able to use the coupons to purchase qualifying foods: market fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, dairy, fish, poultry, nuts and fresh cut herbs. Coupons were treated like cash, but no change was given, should the purchase fall below the value of the coupon(s) used. Vendors were cashed out at the end of each market. A cash advance was provided to each participating market to facilitate the cashing out of vendors.

Participating markets were required to provide weekly online reports. This was an important element of the ongoing evaluation of the FMNCP, measuring success and addressing challenges as they arose. Failure to complete the weekly online reports and submit coupons for redemption in a timely manner could result in the market being removed from the Farmers' Market Nutrition & Coupon Project.

For more information about the Cancellation of the FMNCP in 2010 see, "February 17, 2010: Farmers' Market Nutrition & Coupon Project Cancelled Due to Lack of Funding".

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