Chapter 10: Seed-to-Table Programs

By Hope Wilson, MPH, RDN; Jennifer Parlin, MPH

Student contributor: Kailah Alvarez

Introduction

Seed-to-table programs promote ecologically friendly agriculture and teach how to grow, buy, store, and cook foods, often emphasizing the local food system and seasonal foods, which can be more nutritious and flavorful, given their local origin. Seed-to-table programs are diverse, vary by community, and can include (depending on the community) home gardens, community gardens, farmers markets, mobile markets, community-supported agriculture (CSA), food hubs, gleaning programs, and farm-to-institution programs. Communities may have multiple seed-to-table programs that can strengthen local and regional food systems and increase access to fruits, vegetables, and other nutritious foods. Culinary medicine programs can partner with organizations to build connections among health-care providers, communities, and patients they serve.

This chapter covers how culinary medicine can complement seed-to-table programming, concepts related to seed-to-table concepts, and examples of different types of seed-to-table programs that can be integrated into culinary medicine.

What Is Seed-to-Table?

Seed-to-table programs, also known as farm-to-fork or farm-to-table, narrow the gap between where food is produced and where it is consumed, connecting food consumers and food producers. They also provide opportunities for partnering with nutrition education and culinary medicine programs to support and enhance potential health benefits.

Opportunities for Culinary Medicine

There are many opportunities to connect culinary medicine and seed-to-table initiatives, such as helping raise awareness about a variety of seed-to-table initiatives; promoting nutrition assistance programs that can be used to access local produce; demonstrating how to prepare new foods; providing nutrition education; and teaching storage and preservation methods.

Special considerations for culinary medicine programming include seasonality, climate, and geography, which are all factors that affect when and what foods are available. Because fruits and vegetables can become overly abundant at the peak of the season, there are some important skills, knowledge, and processes that are needed to capture all the harvest for use throughout the year. Safe and effective food storage and food preservation methods—such as freezing, dehydrating, and canning—help stretch food dollars, extend the use of produce throughout the year, and save food for when it is needed outside the growing season. See chapter 2 for advice on preparing and storing nutritious food and preventing food waste.

Community-supported agriculture programs, gleaning projects, and food pantries may provide foods to consumers that they have never seen before. Consumers may be new to purchasing fresh produce at farmers markets or harvesting vegetables from a garden. As a result, they may not have the skills or knowledge to prepare some of the food received. For example, education may be needed to demonstrate what to do with whole beets that still have greens attached or how to prepare vegetables such as kohlrabi that are not commonly found on most plates in the United States.

Culinary medicine programs can conduct cooking demonstrations and provide nutrition education, resources, and recipes for participants who are picking up food at food pantries and other emergency food sites. Similar programming would benefit CSA members by partnering with farmers to plan for what will be in the upcoming share and provide education or demonstrations at CSA pickup locations.

Culinary medicine programs can provide nutrition education, resources, and recipes for participants picking up food at food pantries and other emergency food sites through gleaning programs and food purchased at farmers markets and through CSA programs. Knowledge of local programs can help patients develop an affordable food-access plan that maximizes food access and sustains a healthy eating plan.

Connecting with other community nutrition programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) or the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) can help to expand reach to many underserved audiences. AZ Health Zone is Arizona’s SNAP-Ed program and the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension delivers EFNEP in Arizona.

Nutrition education—particularly education that is culturally sensitive, regionally relevant, and age appropriate—through the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farmers Market Nutrition Programs (FMNP) and other seed-to-table related outlets, can result in people increasing their consumption of fruits and vegetables.¹ Many farmers markets provide space for local chefs or educational organizations to provide food demonstrations, taste tests, nutrition education, and tips. More information about FMNP can be found in Table 10.1.

Culinary medicine programs can also work with clients and health-care providers to increase awareness of seed-to-table programs that might best meet their needs or connect them with nutrition assistance programs or fruit and vegetable incentive programs that can help them purchase local and fresh fruits and vegetables.

Seed-to-Table Concepts

Seed-to-table programs are connected to local and regional food systems and, as a result, come with some unique opportunities for culinary medicine and potential partnerships with other community organizations, such as farmers markets, food banks, local health departments, housing organizations, hospitals, and Cooperative Extension, to name just a few. See chapter 11 for more information about community partnerships. The following concepts are important to better understand seed-to-table programs and how they can be connected to culinary medicine.

Food systems are composed of the different elements that are necessary to bring food from seed to table. These are often characterized as linear, beginning with producers and ending with consumers. This might also be called a supply chain. However, according to the USDA, “the concept of a food system represents a contrast to notions of agriculture and food production and consumption as a simple, linear chain from farm to table.”² Instead, as shown in Figure 10.1, food systems are cyclical and comprise complex networks. The USDA continues by stating “food systems can vary substantially from place to place and over time, depending on location specific conditions. The food systems concept provides a comprehensive framing through which to assess the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainability.”²

Food systems can look very different with different inputs and outputs to consider, as well as location, availability of foods, and local resources all contributing to those differences. With so much variability, understanding the local food system can help physicians, dietitians, and other health-care providers advise and support patients in developing an eating plan that promotes sustained access to nutritious and affordable foods.

 

Urban food systems often have more access to foods within a smaller radius, but this is not always the case. In fact, older research suggested that individuals in urban environments had better diets because of their access to more foods, but this does not extend to the whole population of urban areas. Individuals with lower incomes in urban areas had less access to fresh produce, beans, or tubers and more access to foods that were processed and had higher amounts of fat and sugar.³ This reinforces the need to understand the local food system in which work will take place, as well as societal factors that contribute to differences in food access for specific populations (see chapter 12 for more information).

Test your knowledge with the activity below:

Urban and rural areas that were once classified as “food deserts” are now referred to as “low-access areas.” In the Food Access Research Atlas, “low access to healthy food is defined as being far from a supermarket, supercenter, or large grocery store. A census tract is considered to have low access if a significant number or share of individuals in the tract is far from a supermarket.”⁴

Learn more in the activity below:

When thinking about food systems, it is important to consider food sovereignty, which, as described by US Food Sovereignty Alliance, “puts the aspirations and needs of those who produce, distribute, and consume food at the heart of food systems and policies, rather than the demands of markets and corporations.”⁵

There is often a power imbalance in food systems that should be carefully considered when thinking about culinary medicine programming and how it will look in each community. To learn more about the aspirations of the community, it is important to engage with the community in a thoughtful manner. See chapter 11 for more on community engagement.

To continue learning about food systems and the benefits of a local food system, see the suggested/additional reading list at the end of this chapter.

 

The term “local" food does not have 1 clear definition. In many cases, it may be based on the geographic proximity between the producer and consumer—also known as a food shed. For example, in the 2008 Farm Bill, “local” included a measured distance in miles, so that the “total distance the product is transported is less than 400 miles from its origin.”⁶ However, there may be other factors to consider, such as population density, regional identities, or political boundaries such as counties or state borders.⁷ Finally, “local” may depend on the relationship between the producer and consumer and, as the National Agricultural Library (NAL) describes, the “complex social and economic forces that affect the producers and consumers of local food.”⁸

Types of Seed-to-Table Programs

Gardens

There are a variety of options for consumers to grow their own food, including home gardens, community gardens, and educational gardens like those at schools or childcare sites.

Home gardens can vary in size and production capability, from producing enough to feed a household all year to a small windowsill herb garden. Generally, home gardeners will need to supplement their harvest with other food sources. University of Arizona Cooperative Extension and its Master Gardeners are an excellent resource for home gardeners.

Community Gardens

Community gardens can help increase access to fruits and vegetables for people living in apartments or other housing options that do not have access to an outdoor space to grow a garden. Community members may lease a plot or bed in the garden to plant and care for their own vegetable garden. In some situations, community gardens are also sources of produce to be donated to food pantries or may be located on the property of a housing facility to be used in the communal kitchen or for individual use by residents.

Historically, there have been many community garden initiatives in the United States during national food shortages, depressions, recessions, or times of war to address hunger or other social issues. These include the wartime or liberty gardens during World War I or the Victory Gardens of World War II.⁹

Community Gardens of Tucson is a nonprofit organization that works with public and private partners to develop and maintain community gardens in the area. It has a website that includes a map of its community gardens and other resources.

School Gardens

Some gardens, such as school gardens, also serve an educational purpose. They can be large plots of land on school grounds or nearby land, or they can be small pots on a classroom windowsill. The primary purpose of a school garden is to provide hands-on experiential learning opportunities for students. School gardens can be used for teaching health and nutrition, science, mathematics, language, arts, and nearly any other classroom subject. Gardens can also be used to complement classroom learning experiences.

In most cases, school gardens do not produce enough food for use in cafeterias, but what is produced may be used for fruit or vegetable taste tests, cooking activities, or other nutrition education activities. School gardens, specifically with garden-based nutrition education, are likely to increase students’ willingness to try vegetables and their preference for fruits and vegetables. They can also increase students’ vegetable consumption.^10-15

Watch this video from the OC Johnson Elementary School Community Garden in Yuma, Arizona, to see the opening of a combined school and community garden:

Urban Agriculture

According to the NAL, urban agriculture “allows for the development of a variety of environmental, economic, and social benefits to the surrounding communities. Urban farming can reduce transportation costs, help reduce runoff associated with heavy rainfall, and lead to better air quality.”¹⁶ Community gardens may fall under the umbrella of urban agriculture; however, in many cases, urban agriculture produces food on a larger scale to be sold for a profit. Due to limited space in many urban areas, urban agriculture may make use of spaces such as rooftops, edible landscapes, or vertical farming.

Direct Marketing

According to the University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program, direct marketing allows farmers “to earn a greater portion of the consumer food dollar by eliminating intermediary brokers, buyers, and distributors.”¹⁷ Direct markets can “contribute to sustainable agriculture and food systems by increasing farmer profitability, promoting the local economy, and providing consumers with higher quality and healthier products.”¹⁷ Examples of direct marketing include farmers markets, CSA, and farm-to-institution programs.

Farmers Markets

Farmers markets can be operated by nonprofits or small business organizations that provide space for farmers and other food vendors to sell their products directly to consumers. In some cases, it might simply be a group of farmers who regularly gather to sell their products at a specific time and place. How a farmers market operates and what is sold may vary based on state and local laws and regulations.

Because farmers markets do not require the infrastructure and permanent space needed for brick-and-mortar businesses such as grocery stores, the overhead for operations is much lower, and they provide opportunities for small food businesses or farmers to get started and increase their profit. They can also provide access to fruits and vegetables in locations that would not be able to support a permanent or large retail food store, especially in urban areas that may only have small corner stores, liquor stores, or fast-food chains and are lacking an outlet for healthy foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables.

Farmers markets often serve as more than places to buy food. They can be community gathering spots, providing opportunities to build community connections and for consumers to interact with those in the community who grow food.

For a behind-the-scenes look at a farmers market and how it connects with communities, watch this video from the Prescott Farmers Market in central Arizona:

Watch this video from the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona to learn about its farmers market:

Mobile Markets

A mobile market could act as a farmers market on wheels, but rather than farmers and consumers all traveling to 1 location to sell and purchase fresh produce, the mobile market takes all the produce from 1 farm or aggregated produce from multiple farms directly to consumers who have limited access. They allow some flexibility, such as adjusting dates or times of arrival or customizing products offered based on community preferences, to better serve communities with low food access.¹⁸

Read this success story of a mobile market in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which was established to increase access to fruits and vegetables in a low-access area.

Community-Supported Agriculture

With CSA, “growers and consumers provide mutual support and share the risks and benefits of food production.”⁶ Usually, the share or membership is a full payment made to the farmer for the upcoming season or for the whole year ahead. The farmer uses these funds to cover costs for equipment and other supplies needed to prepare for the upcoming growing season. In return, CSA members receive a portion of whatever is produced, usually vegetables, fruits, and herbs. Some CSA programs might also include other products such as flowers, eggs, cheese, or baked goods.^19,20 Sometimes, a farmer might offer reduced membership costs in exchange for time spent working on the farm.

Community-supported agriculture programs vary by farm and community, but most arrange for local pickup locations or on the farm. Some employers may include CSA membership as an incentive for employees as part of their health promotion programs.

Community-supported agriculture programs may be challenging for some because, unlike farmers markets, members usually do not select items they are buying from the farmer. Therefore, they do not know what they will receive, because the harvest depends on the season, weather, what was planted earlier in the year, and other factors that affect what and how well the farm will produce that year. As a result, members must be willing to try new things and have the skills and creativity to prepare meals with what they receive. Members may receive foods with which they are unfamiliar and may not have the culinary skills and/or experience to be flexible with recipes and ingredients. See chapter 2 for more information on how to safely prepare and store nutritious food.

For more information about CSAs, watch the “What is a CSA? | From the Ground Up video” from University of Wyoming Extension for a short and simple introduction:

For a more comprehensive explanation from a young farmer who also provides education with her CSA, watch this Farming Matters webinar about Soul Food Project’s Urban CSA.

Farm-to-Institution Programs

Farm-to-institution programs connect local and regional farms with institutions such as schools, childcare centers, hospitals, prisons, universities and colleges, worksites, and faith-based organizations. Many farm-to-institution programs include educational components such as cooking classes or demonstrations, nutrition education, taste tests, information about local agriculture and food systems, and gardening. Some institutions may also feature on-site farmers markets or sponsor food boxes or CSA shares.²¹

Watch this video from American Farmland Trust to see how farm-to-institution programs operate in New York.

For more information about different farm-to-institution models, this brochure from the USDA outlines a variety of farm-to-institution programs with short case studies for each.

Farm to school is perhaps the most recognized type of farm-to-institution program. They vary by location, but always include at least 1 of the following components:

• Procurement (purchase) of local food for use in school meals, snacks, taste tests, or other educational activities
• Gardening activities either as part of an outdoor school garden or small containers inside or outside the classroom; providing hands-on educational activities
• Educational activities related to food, agriculture, nutrition, and so forth²²

 

Watch this USDA video that briefly outlines farm–to–school programs:

Farm to hospital is a farm-to-institution program that is focused on health-care institutions. This may include hospital food services procuring food from local sources, connecting health promotion programs to local fruit and vegetable producers, a Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program, employee CSA membership, or farmers markets at the hospital. The University of Arizona partners with Sun Produce Coop to conduct a Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program.

Watch this video from North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, which illustrates an example of a farm to hospital program that also include cooking demonstrations and connections to farmers markets.

Strengthening Local and Regional Systems

The following are examples of strategies that can be used to strengthen local and regional food systems and develop connections with seed-to-table programs.

Gleaning

Gleaning initiatives can support community food security and reduce food waste. Farms may have bins in the fields for collecting produce that does not meet retail outlets’ specific criteria, such as shape or color. This food will be donated to an emergency food provider. Other gleaning initiatives may harvest produce from fruit trees at private homes, public spaces, or produce not collected from community, school, and backyard gardens. Many gleaning initiatives rely on volunteers to harvest, pick up, sort, and deliver fresh fruits and vegetables to emergency food providers or charitable organizations to help distribute the produce to families with low incomes.

Gleaning projects can be mutually beneficial for producers and consumers. For example, collecting fruit from trees in backyards or in public spaces removes food that would otherwise pile up, attract wildlife and pests, or rot because homeowners or governments do not have time or resources to remove the fruit themselves. This also is a source of fresh produce for food pantries that can be provided to families.

For an example of a gleaning program that provides produce to a food bank, watch this video about Maryland Food Bank: Farm to Food Bank Program:

Food Hubs

Food hubs can help strengthen local and regional food systems and increase access to fruits and vegetables in communities with low incomes.²³ Food hubs can be for profit or nonprofit and can facilitate a direct marketing link between local fruit and vegetable producers and retail and institutional buyers and other mainstream markets such as retail outlets, schools, and hospitals.²⁴

Many food hubs may serve as an aggregation point for small local food producers to sell to larger markets. They may also include space and resources such as training and access to a community or shared kitchen to assist local food producers develop value-added agricultural products to increase the variety of products they offer and increase the number of markets to which they can sell their products. Watch this video from the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, which describes how food hubs operate within local and regional food systems.

Shared-Use Kitchens

The Shared Kitchen Toolkit by The Food Corridor states that small or new food businesses that rent space in a community or shared-use kitchen “on an hourly, daily, or monthly basis . . . can produce food in compliance with regulatory requirements without needing to invest in their own facility during a stage when capital and cash flow are a challenge.”²⁵ Read this case study about Chiknegg Kitchen in Virginia from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Services to better understand how a shared-use kitchen can affect local communities.

Nutrition Assistance Programs

There are several nutrition assistance programs that can help individuals and families purchase food from local food systems. Table 10.1 lists just a few examples.

Table 10.1. Examples of Nutrition Assistance Programs

Program	Description
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)	Administered through the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, SNAP provides eligible households with monthly benefits they can use to purchase nutritious food, vegetable seeds, and food-producing plants, roots, and trees. Families and individuals who meet income guidelines may be eligible to receive SNAP benefits. Recipients receive their SNAP benefits on an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card (an electronic payment system debit card). Benefits can be redeemed at many farmers markets, allowing shoppers with low incomes to access fresh, locally grown foods.26
Fruit and vegetable incentive programs	These programs provide matching funds to participants to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. Many programs match participants’ SNAP benefits that are spent to provide additional benefits that can be redeemed at farmers markets, mobile markets, or through CSA shares to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. These incentive programs are often funded by nonprofit organizations, private foundations, or state or local governments.27 Double Up Food Bucks is a fruit and vegetable incentive program that operates in 25 states and matches SNAP EBT dollars so participants can get twice the amount of fruits and vegetables. In Arizona, Double Up Food Bucks allows current SNAP participants to receive additional fruits and vegetables. Watch this video from North Dakota State University Extension to learn more about how Double Up works in that state.
Farmers Market Nutrition Programs (FMNP)	Through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (commonly known as WIC), FMNP and the Senior FMNP provide low-income women, children, and older adults with vouchers for fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables that can be redeemed at farmers markets and produce stands, or for shares in CSAs.28,29 See the Arizona Farmers Market Nutrition Programs.

Suggested/Additional Reading

• Best Practices for Utilizing Local Food in Nutrition Education and Cooking Classes (North Carolina State University Extension)
• Local Food System Supply Chain (North Carolina State University Extension)
• Grown from the Past: A Short History of Community Gardening in the United States (Smithsonian Gardens’ Community of Gardens)
• Arizona Sustainable Community Garden Resource Guide: Your Guide to Establishing and Sustaining a Community Garden in Your Neighborhood (Arizona Department of Health Services and Vitalyst Health Foundation)
• Farmers Markets (USDA’s Nutrition.gov)
• National Gleaning Project (Center for Agriculture & Food Systems)
• Let’s Glean! United We Serve Toolkit (USDA)
• National Farm to School Network

References

1. O’Dare Wilson K. Community food environments and healthy food access among older adults: a review of the evidence for the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP). Soc Work Health Care. 2017;56(4):227–243. https://doi.org/10.1080/00981389.2016.1265631
2. Definitions: sustainability and food systems. US Department of Agriculture. Accessed August 5, 2023. https://www.usda.gov/oce/sustainability/definitions
3. Vilar-Compte M, Burrola-Méndez S, Lozano-Marrufo A, et al. Urban poverty and nutrition challenges associated with accessibility to a healthy diet: a global systematic literature review. Int J Equity Health. 2021;20(1):40. doi:10.1186/s12939-020-01330-0
4. Food Access Research Atlas. Economic Research Service, US Department of Agriculture. Updated October 31, 2024. Accessed November 3, 2024. https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/
5. Food sovereignty. US Food Sovereignty Alliance. Accessed September 20, 2023. http://usfoodsovereigntyalliance.org/what-is-food-sovereignty/
6. Mailboxes, Mom and Pop Stands, and Markets: Local Foods Then and Now. What makes a food “local?” Distance between producer and consumer. National Agricultural Library, US Department of Agriculture. Accessed April 24, 2023. https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/ipd/localfoods/exhibits/show/food-locality/local-distance
7. Mailboxes, Mom and Pop Stands, and Markets: Local Foods Then and Now. What makes a food “local?” Context of producer and consumer. National Agricultural Library, US Department of Agriculture. Accessed April 24, 2023. https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/ipd/localfoods/exhibits/show/food-locality/local-context
8. Mailboxes, Mom and Pop Stands, and Markets: Local Foods Then and Now. What makes a food “local?” Relation between producer, consumer, and marketing environment. National Agricultural Library, US Department of Agriculture. Accessed April 24, 2023. https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/ipd/localfoods/exhibits/show/food-locality/local-relation
9. Community of Gardens. Grown from the past: a short history of community gardening in the United States. Smithsonian Institution. Accessed November 26, 2024. https://communityofgardens.si.edu/exhibits/show/historycommunitygardens/intro
10. Savoie-Roskos MR, Wengreen H, Durward C. Increasing fruit and vegetable intake among children and youth through gardening-based interventions: a systematic review. J Acad Nutri Diet. 2017;117(2):240–250. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2016.10.014
11. Langellotto GA, Gupta A. Gardening increases vegetable consumption in school-aged children: a meta-analytical synthesis. HortTech. 2012;22(4):430–445. doi:10.21273/HORTTECH.22.4.430
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14. Parmer SM, Salisbury-Glennon J, Shannon D, Struempler B. School gardens: an experiential learning approach for a nutrition education program to increase fruit and vegetable knowledge, preference, and consumption among second-grade students. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2009;41(3):212–217. doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2008.06.002
15. Cialdella J. Introduction: grown from the past: a short history of community gardening in the United States. Community of Gardens. Accessed August 17, 2023. https://communityofgardens.si.edu/exhibits/show/historycommunitygardens/intro
16. Agricultural Law Information Partnership, Alternative Farming Systems Information Center. Urban agriculture. National Agricultural Library, US Department of Agriculture. Accessed August 23, 2023. https://www.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-agricultural-production-systems/urban-agriculture
17. Archer L, Ransom B, Coley M. Direct marketing. Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program. January 3, 2019. Accessed August 18, 2023. https://sarep.ucdavis.edu/sustainable-ag/direct-marketing
18. Mari E. Healthy food on wheels: an exploration of mobile produce markets through a food justice lens. In: Werkheiser I, Piso Z, eds. Food Justice in US and Global Contexts: Bringing Theory and Practice Together. Springer International Publishing; 2017:141–157. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-57174-4_12
19. Alternative Farming Systems Information Center. Community supported agriculture. National Agricultural Library, US Department of Agriculture. Accessed August 17, 2023. https://www.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-agricultural-production-systems/community-supported-agriculture
20. What we do. FairShare CSA Coalition. Accessed August 17, 2023. https://www.csacoalition.org/about-us/
21. Harris D, Lott M, Lakins V, Bowden B, Kimmons J. Farm to institution: creating access to healthy local and regional foods. Adv Nutr. 2012;3(3):343–349. doi:10.3945/an.111.001677
22. About farm to school. National Farm to School Network. Accessed November 3, 2024. https://www.farmtoschool.org/about/what-is-farm-to-school
23. Matson J, Thayer J. The role of food hubs in food supply chains. J Agric Food Syst Community Dev. 2013;3(4):43–47. doi:10.5304/jafscd.2013.034.004
24. Levkoe CZ, Hammelman C, Craven L, et al. Building sustainable communities through food hubs: practitioner and academic perspectives. J Agric Food Syst Community Dev. 2018;8(2):107–122. doi:10.5304/jafscd.2018.082.008
25. Meader McCausland D, Miller R, Colpaart A, King M. Shared Kitchen Toolkit: a practical guide to planning, launching and managing a shared-use commercial kitchen. 2018. The Food Corridor. Accessed November 3, 2024. http://www.thefoodcorridor.com/resources/
26. Farmer/producer. Food and Nutrition Service, US Department of Agriculture. Updated January 18, 2023. Accessed August 17, 2023. https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/farmer-producer
27. King M, Dixit-Joshi S, MacAllum K, Steketee M, Leard S. Farmers Market Incentive Provider Study. March 2014. Food and Nutrition Service, US Department of Agriculture, March 2014. Accessed November 3, 2024. https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/FarmersMarketIncentiveProvider.pdf
28. Farmers Market Nutrition Program. Food and Nutrition Service, US Department of Agriculture. Updated July 1, 2024. Accessed November 3, 2024. https://www.fns.usda.gov/fmnp/wic-farmers-market-nutrition-program
29. Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program. Food and Nutrition Service, US Department of Agriculture. Accessed August 17, 2023. https://www.fns.usda.gov/sfmnp/senior-farmers-market-nutrition-program