Dustin Vande Hoef
Communications Director
515/281-3375 or 515/326-1616 (cell)
or Dustin.VandeHoef@IowaAgriculture.gov
Machelle Shaffer
Communications Director
Iowa Department on Aging
515/725-3312 or 515/745-3442 (cell)
or Machelle.Shaffer@iowa.gov
“The Iowa Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program benefits low-income older Iowans. This program provides the qualified user with coupons which can be redeemed at participating Farmer’s Markets throughout Iowa for fresh fruits and vegetables,” Director McCalley stated. “Applications for the coupons are available through our thirteen (13) Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) throughout Iowa.”
The program provides low-income seniors with 10 checks for $3 each that can be redeemed for fresh, locally grown produce at authorized farmers markets and farm stands from June 1 through October 31, 2010.
“Iowa’s farmers markets and farm stands are a great source of healthy and nutritious foods, and the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program gives Iowa seniors greater access to these local food choices,” Northey stated.
A combination of state and federal funds will be used to make benefits available to more than 20,000 eligible seniors this year.
Eligible seniors must be sixty years of age or older with a household income level at or below $20,036 if single or $26,955 for a married couple.
Iowa seniors will be asked to complete a one page application verifying their eligibility, by providing their birth date and the last four digits of their social security number. Checks will be issued once per season on a first come first served basis.
The thirteen (13) Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) will begin to distribute checks and nutritional education information starting in June. To find an Area Agency on Aging near you, contact the Iowa Association of Area Agencies on Aging (i4a) toll free at 866-468-7887 or at www.i4a.org.
The Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program is administered through the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. For more information contact Margaret Long, Program Administrator, at 515-242-6239 or margaret.long@iowaagriculture.gov.
For more information on the Iowa Department on Aging (IDA), visit http://www.aging.iowa.gov/ . To locate resources for older adults and people with disabilities, visit www.lifelonglinks.org.
More information on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship can be found at www.iowaagriculture.gov.
