DC City Council Holds Hearing on District “Nutrition Incentives”

Benefiting Seniors Testify with Wholesome Wave Leadership and Farmers Market Partners

Michael Segal, Gus Schumacher, Katherine Anderson, Robin Shuster, Councilmember Jim Graham, Elizabeth Stockton, and Rob Schubert, (January 24,2012)

Two vivacious  seniors from Washington D.C, Ms. Katherine Anderson and Ms. Elizabeth Stockton, testified yesterday in front of the D.C. City Council about their enthusiasm for the nearby access and affordability of the fresh local fruit at Wholesome Wave’s partner Columbia Heights Community Marketplace.

Living close by, they told Chairman Kwame R. Brown and Councilmember Jim Graham that they frequently visit this farmers market in Columbia Heights to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables with Festibucks, which are financial incentives that increase the value of SNAP, WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition program vouchers. The incentives are supported by funding from Wholesome Wave’s national Double Value Coupon Program.

Wholesome Wave’s Gus Schumacher joined the seniors in testimony along with the Executive Director of the Columbia Heights Community Marketplace, Rob Schubert and Robin Shuster of the 14th and U Street Farmers Market, along with Wholesome Wave partner market master Michael Segal of Ward 8 Farmers Market.

Schumacher and his fellow panelists were there to support Councilman Jim Graham’s proposal to allocate $100,000 of DC’s 2012 budget to expand Wholesome Wave’s Double Value Coupon Program in 14 farmers markets around the District of Columbia.

Schumacher explained to the Council that the allocation would be a wise investment that will serve as an economic stimulus. Citing Moody’s Analytics finding that $1 in SNAP generates some $1.73 in economic activity Schumacher surmised, “Moody’s would re-calculate to say $1 in SNAP at farmers markets offering incentives would perhaps generate $3 in economic activity at the market and especially in rural towns where farmers would spend their revenue on new hires, tractors and hoop houses.”

Wholesome Wave programming is now in 25 states, not including the District of Columbia, working with more than 45 partners and more than 250 farmers markets. According to a recent Wholesome Wave survey, SNAP redemption generally doubles at markets that take part in the Double Value Coupon Program, several markets experienced much larger increases.

Schubert reported that the Double Value Coupon Program has been hugely successful. In 2011, nearly 2,100 WIC, Senior and SNAP participants purchased more than $45,000 in fresh produce last year at Columbia Heights Community Market. Farmers such as Matt Harsh of Maryland welcomed the increased revenue.

No word on when the Council will make a final ruling on the budget.

We’ll keep you posted.

The following are links to recordings of testimony & comments from the hearing: Schumacher, Graham, Schubert, Stockton and Anderson. Click here to read  Schumacher’s submitted testimony. Click here to read Schubert’s submitted testimony.