(Submitted by Wood County Health District)
The Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) is expanding the program into two additional counties, bringing the total number of Ohio counties participating in FMNP to 61. The 2017 expansion counties are Trumbull and Wood.
The Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program is administered by the Ohio Department of Health’s (ODH) Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. Coupons are distributed to eligible WIC participants through local WIC clinics. Pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women and some children participating in the program are eligible to receive a one-time benefit of $20 worth of coupons to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs from authorized farmers between June 1 and Oct. 31.
The benefits of the WIC FMNP are many.
FMNP benefits farms by:
- Supporting local agriculture by increasing sales at farmers’ markets and farmstands.
- Promoting expansion and diversification of family farms by encouraging the production of fresh fruits and vegetables.
FMNP benefits WIC participants by:
- Providing WIC participants with an opportunity to improve their health by eating more nutritious fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Introducing WIC families to farmers’ markets and farmstands and teaching them to select and prepare a wide variety of locally grown produce.
FMNP benefits communities by:
- Helping revitalize downtown areas by supporting the farmers’ market as an activity that benefits the entire community.
- Promoting the development of farmers’ markets to communities lacking access to fresh produce.
- Providing income to farmers that in turn helps boost local economies.
If you are interested in becoming an authorized FMNP farmer or want to learn more about the program, please call the ODH WIC program at 1-800-282-3435 or visit http://www.odh.ohio.gov/odhprograms/ns/wicfm/wicfm1.aspx.
To learn more about WIC services in Wood County, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WCWIC/, call 419-354-9661 or go to http://woodcountyhealth.org/wic/wic.html.
The Wood County Health District provides numerous services to the community, including comprehensive medical services for men, women and children. Our Health and Wellness Center welcomes all patients and accepts most third party insurances, including uninsured or underinsured clients regardless of ability to pay. The mission of Wood County Health District is to prevent disease, promote healthy lifestyles and protect the health of everyone in Wood County. The Health District is located at 1840 E. Gypsy Lane Rd. in Bowling Green. Normal office hours are 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, with late hours and satellite clinics available. The Wood County Board of Health meetings are open to the public. The meeting schedule is on the website at http://woodcountyhealth.org/.
