Healthier budget aids healthy choices

One of the best parts of summer is the return of farmers markets, where shoppers can talk with local growers and artisans about their products and get fresh, tasty and healthy groceries. But for those struggling to feed families, fresh produce can be unaffordable. Unfortunately, high-calorie processed food is a cheap tummy filler, at least until the bills from diabetes or heart disease arrive.

To help the needy get fresh fruits and vegetables, Franklin County commissioners again carved out $15,000 to help people stretch their Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program benefits at farmers markets. (SNAP is the old food-stamp program.)

SNAP recipients will get an additional $10 to use for fresh produce; they can use their benefit-payment cards to buy tokens, routinely accepted by vendors in place of cash, at participating markets.

The “Veggie Snaps” program also helps farmers. Sellers at area farmers markets last year sold $18,000 in produce under the program. The 14 participating markets this year expect Veggie Snaps sales to reach $20,000 this year.

About 1 in 5 Franklin County residents, or more than 200,000 people, have a hard time accessing or affording fresh produce. Making farmers markets affordable for SNAP recipients is good for families’ health and good for family businesses.