>Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) is a federal program to strengthen farmers’ markets and help low-income families and seniors purchase fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables. In New York State, the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets administers FMNP in collaboration with the NYS Department of Health, the NYS Office for the Aging, and Cornell Cooperative Extension.
Through county-based extension staff, Cornell Cooperative Extension provides outreach for the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program statewide. Staff provide educational programming to help participants of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and low-income seniors select, store, and prepare fresh produce from the farmers’ market. FMNP Outreach also focuses on developing tools for CCE educators to increase capacity to serve as resources to nutrition assistance program participants, farmers, market managers, and community agencies involved in FMNP.