In early January of 2023, the U.S. The Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) announced plans to invest $25 million to three different states as a way to expand the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program's access to fresh fruits and vegetables
The FNS would like to incentivize SNAP recipients to buy more fresh produce by \"extra funds when they buy specific foods, such as fruits and vegetables.\"
Stacy Dean, who works at the USDA as deputy under secretary for FNS, talks about how committed the USDA is in creating evidence-based programs in order to ensure that American families can have access to fresh and nutritious produce.
\"States will test SNAP incentive program models, which could reduce administrative costs and increase efficiency, allowing more incentive dollars to reach SNAP participants , enabling them to buy more nutritious fruits and vegetables. Increased demand for fruits and vegetables also helps strengthen the food supply chain.\"
The evidence behind this program, Stacy Dean explains, has been that SNAP users who have received these incentives \" consumed 26% more fruits and vegetables per day than nonparticipants.\"
On June 29, 2023, roughly six months later, the USDA announced that Washington, Louisiana and Colorado would be the three states to receive the $25 million funds to implement the new incentives.
Louisiana will receive the most, receiving $9.5 million, Colorado will get $7.9 million and Washington with $7.6 million.
Each of the chosen states will upgrade their SNAP system so that incentive dollars can be put onto SNAP recipient's EBT cards . To gain benefits, SNAP recipient's will need to buy a qualifying fruit or vegetable. Then, depending on the state, recipient's will receive a specific amount to be added onto the EBT card; similar to cash back programs! This plan is set to be put into motion in 2024.
All three states are going to be testing the same upgraded SNAP system , there will be some overlapping of specifics whether it be targeted communities or amount to receive on the EBT card.
*only with qualifying purchases*
Louisiana and Washington's projects share the common goal of targeting communities with low income, low access, persistent poverty or rural and trivial communities. Louisiana will additionally include communities with high food insecurity and residents suffering from diet-related diseases. Washington's additional communities are those with high SNAP caseloads, aging populations, young populations and culturally diverse populations.
Colorado's project is not targeting communities but rather a variety of small independent stores, farmers markers, retail chains and locally grown foods.