7/30/2019 Homegrown Alabama: A Farmers Market Fighting Hunger

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RESEARCHPOSTER PRESENTATIONDESIG N 2011

www.PosterPresentations.com

Homegrown Alabama: A Farmers Market Fighting Hunger

Alabama is one of the most socioeconomically challenged states in theUnited States of America. According to the USDA Economic ResearchService, 18.9% of Alabamians live in poverty, including 25% of Alabamas

children. This poverty is only made worse food insecurity; 17.3% ofAlabamas households are considered to be Food Insecure, with 7% of

those experiencing Very High Food Insecurity. In addition to these factors,

approximately 32.3% of Alabamians are considered to be obese. Thishighlights the need to increase availability of high-quality, nutritious foods tothose living in poverty and experiencing low food security.

Tuscaloosa, Alabama is located in West Central Alabama. With a populationof approximately 91,000, it is the fifth largest city in Alabama. As of 2011,19.9% of Tuscaloosa Countys residents lived in poverty, and four of the

cities 28 census tracts were considered to be Food Deserts by the US

Department of Agriculture.

On 27 April 2011, an EF4 tornado struck Tuscaloosa, killing 43 with over1000 injured. Much of the area struck by the tornado was inhabited byresidents living under the poverty line, and much of the damage was withincensus tracts considered to be Food Deserts. Supplemental NutritionAssistance Program (SNAP) eligibility requirements were relaxed to allowmany of those affected by the tornado to receive benefits, even if previousbarriers such as income had prevented them from receiving benefits.

Background

Andrea Mabry (Homegrown Alabama, U. of Alabama), Will Thomas (AuburnUniversity), Lindsay Turner (Homegrown Alabama, U. of Alabama)

Homegrown Alabama Farmers Market

According to the USDA, a Farmers Market that can accept SNAPbenefits using EBT is defined as a multi-stall market at whichfarmer-producers sell agricultural products directly to the generalpublic at a central or fixed location, particularly fresh fruit andvegetables (but also meat products, dairy products, and/or grains).

For markets that qualify under this definition, there is a three-stepprocess for being eligible for SNAP Authorization:

1. Creating a USDA Account Online

2. Filling out an Online Application (with information such as owner'sname, home address, social security number, and estimated sales)

3. Submitting corroborating paperwork to the appropriate regionalFood Nutrition Service office, determined by region.

Once approved, employees (or volunteers) must be trained in SNAPuse and an active phone line, along with a power connection, isrequired to use the EBT device, which operates in the same manneras a debit or credit card.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Homegrown Alabama SNAP and Match Conclusions

Throughout the 25 week market season, a total of $distributed to 24 different local vendorsthrough Hand Match program.

Through looking at the Redemption Rate patterns,

customers using the SNAP and Match program wouse their benefits over multiple weeks, which we camany weeks have a redemption rate higher than 10tell that inclement weather tends to deter spending,with thunderstorms reported have lower redemption

This data also tells us that customers using their SNthrough EBT are loyal customers. Beginning with thmarket, all match funds had been used; however, Scontinued coming to the market and purchasing goomarketing efforts such as 2 Junes Squash The HeaAugusts Herb Festival, and 20 Octobers Fall FestivSNAP beneficiaries at very high rates.

Approximately 58% of the SNAP and Match funds wvendors whose primary product was produce (fruitswith another 26% allocated to hormone-free, grass-these figures we can conclude that this program coeating habits among SNAP and Match customers, asustainable food system.

Given 2011s special circumstances and our restricattest that empirically that the SNAP and match promore diverse customer base; however, studies by thNutrition Service show that SNAP acceptance divercustomer base, and we have no evidence that the cthis case.

References

The New York Times (2009) Food Stamp Usage Aroun

Trust for Americas Health (2012) Key Health Data Abo

USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (2010) Suppleme

Assistance Program (SNAP) at Farmers Markets: A Ho

USDA Economic Research Service (2011) Food Deser

USDA Economic Research Service (2012) State Fact S

USDA Food And Nutrition Service (2012) Nutrition AssiMarkets: Understanding Current OperationsFormativ

Findings.

USDA Food And Nutrition Service (2011) Helping LowLocal Communities in Alabama.

US Social Security Administration (2008) Electronic FacFacts.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the customers, vendors, andHomegrown Alabama, Canterbury Episcopal ChapeCenter, The University of Alabamas New College, Tuscaloosa, Auburn University, Auburn Office of IntAgriculture, Auburn Economic & Community DeveloDr. Norbert Wilson, and Mr. Joshua Segall.

The Homegrown Alabama Farmers Market has been in operation since2007, and is the only student-run farmers market in the state of Alabama.Running from early May to late October from 3pm-6pm on Thursdayafternoons, it only accepts vendors who operate within a 100 mile radius ofTuscaloosa, Alabama, home to The University of Alabama. Annual farmvisits to vendors maintain that the products sold are held to high standards,and much effort is put into making each market a community event. Bandsare invited to play, cooking demonstrations are held, activities for childrenare available, local artisans are invited to sell crafts each third week of themonth, and special events are held (such as the Squash The Heat market,

or the Bama Loves Tomatoes (BLT) Festival , and an Herb Festival in the

summer, and a chili cook-off and pumpkin carving contest in the autumn).

Since 2009, the market has operated on the lawn of Canterbury EpiscopalChapel and Student Center, a church located adjacent to the campus of TheUniversity of Alabama. In 2010, the church integrated the HomegrownMarket into its existing food bank ministry (called Deacons Deli) by issuing

vouchers to their clients on Tuesday mornings that can be redeemed at themarket on Thursday afternoons.

Beginning in 2011, the Homegrown Alabama Farmers Market beganaccepting payment with SNAP using the Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT)program, on which money is transferred onto a debit card for those in needof food assistance. Out of 121 Farmers Markets in Alabama, HomegrownAlabama is one of only three that accepts SNAP benefits through EBT.

Location of Tuscaloosa County andTuscaloosa City in Alabama

Using SNAP at Farmers Markets

Initially started in the late 1930s as the Food Stamp program in orderto provide food assistance to low-income families, the SupplementalNutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was authorized by the 2008Farm Bill, renaming the program to reduce stigma and makingelectronic benefits transfer (distribution of benefits using debit cardsinstead of paper stamps) standard.

In order to qualify, households must have less than $2,000 inresources available, with exceptions made for home with elderlyindividuals. While benefits are funded at the Federal level, benefits areadministered at the State and Local levels.

In Alabama, approximately 67% of qualifying households participate inthe SNAP program, receiving an average monthly benefit of $289. InTuscaloosa county, 12% of all residents receive SNAP benefits,including 27% of Children and 27% of African-American residents.

Upon deciding to accept SNAP Benefits at the weekly Market,Homegrown collaborated to develop a Match Incentive program withCanterbury Chapel, the host church. For every $10 of SNAP/EBTredeemed by beneficiaries, the church gave the recipient $5 to use atthe market. According to the USDA, all Farmers Markets use incentiveprograms for SNAP beneficiaries.

This process, as well as the process for farmer payment, wasstreamlined through a centralization of payment. EBT users decideand pay the amount of SNAP benefits they would use to the HomeGrown authorities. Then, Home Grown would give tokens for thatamount plus the amount of match, which could be used as currency ateach farms booth.

At the end of the market, farmers traded these wooden tokens for cashand these amounts were documented weekly. Thus, we knowprecisely how SNAP beneficiaries used their funds from week to week,and have a good idea of what goods they bought.

To measure the rate at which SNAP beneficiaries were using theirbenefits, we created a metric called the Redemption Rate, calculatedsimply as the amount of funds paid out each week to farmers dividedby the sum of the amount of SNAP benefits processed through EBTand the match program.