March 22, 2002
Honorable Tom Harkin
Honorable Richard Lugar
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senators Harkin and Lugar:
The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) supports inclusion in the Farm Bill of a provision to provide a steady, secure, and predictable funding stream for the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) over the life of the bill. Such a provision would prevent the kind of disruptions which are occurring this year due to an unexpected reduction of fifty percent in the funds available for this program.
Farmers and farmers' markets in many parts of the country are suffering serious economic impacts because of this reduction. Benefits to 2.3 million women and children, income for 14,600 small farmers, and the existence of 2,000 community farmers' markets is threatened. The negative economic impacts have been amplified by the reduction or elimination of the Senior FMNP in many areas.
As stated in our earlier correspondence to you, NASDA continues to support an increase in funding for the Senior FMNP, included in both the House and Senate versions of the bill, from the current $15 million to $25 million.
Farmers' Market Nutrition Programs (FMNPs) provide additional income for small fruit and vegetable farmers who receive only limited assistance from other government agricultural programs. In addition, FMNPs provide important health benefits to low-income consumers and enhance food security by increasing communities' access to locally grown foods. The viability of farmers' markets is also at stake, as the redemption of FMNP benefits provides a significant portion of sales in many locations.
NASDA urges you to support enhanced FMNP provisions for the Farm Bill.
Sincerely,
<signed>
Billy Ray Smith
Commissioner, Kentucky Department of Agriculture
President of NASDA