UWEC CERCA 2025

Food insecurity is a significant issue facing many American households. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides increased access to food for families in need. Additionally, fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption has been shown to improve health and reduce the risk of a variety of chronic diseases. However, poor nutrition among children and adults, including low FV intake have contributed to rising rates of obesity in America. It is particularly challenging for low-income households to purchase/eat the recommended amount of FV. Farmers’ markets offer a wide variety of fresh, local and healthy foods, especially FV, but data show that low-income households are much less likely to shop at farmers’ markets. The Eau Claire Downtown Farmers’ Market (ECDFM) sponsors a Market Match Program (MMP) incentivizing SNAP households to shop at the market. This presentation connects our work to the literature on offering incentives to SNAP shoppers at farmers’ markets. Additionally, we reference our participation in a statewide coalition to develop a statewide FM MMP. We conclude with policy recommendations in the context of the history of SNAP.