Farmers' markets and nutrition incentives
How doubling programmes help shoppers and farmers at the same time.
Nutrition incentive programmes match benefit dollars spent on fruit and vegetables at farmers' markets and some grocers, so a household spending ten dollars receives twenty dollars' worth of produce.
Why they work
They raise fruit and vegetable purchases among lower-income households and bring new customers to local farms. Markets that accept benefits electronically see the biggest gains.
Design lessons
- Make enrolment simple and the token or card system easy
- Keep markets open at times working families can attend
- Advertise in multiple languages
- Fund administration, not only incentives