California Agriculture (Jan 2012)

UC Cooperative Extension explores a farm-to-WIC program

  • L Kaiser,
  • C Lamp,
  • C Ganthavorn,
  • L Farfan-Ramirez,
  • T McMurdo,
  • M Cantwell,
  • S Hardesty

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 66, no. 1

Abstract

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To increase fruit and vegetable consumption, the federal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) distributes cash vouchers to low-income women with children to buy fruits and vegetables. The program reaches almost half of the infants and one-quarter of children under 5 years old in the United States. UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) conducted a survey of produce preferences and buying habits among WIC participants in Tulare, Alameda and Riverside counties in 2010 to guide the development of a farm-to-WIC program that would connect small local growers to the WIC market. Based on the results, the UCCE team developed a list of 19 produce items to promote in a possible new farm-to-WIC program.