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2018 Annual Report Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department
A Message from the Farmers’ Market Coordinator
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his November we concluded our sixth successful season of the Double Market Bucks program. Thanks to a generous anonymous donation to the Bloomington Parks Foundation, we were able to double SNAP benefits for our customers, distributing $12,804 in additional funds. In 2018, Double Market Bucks Program participants purchased more than $26,000 in fruits and vegetables, meat, eggs, dairy and breads. Since it was enacted in 2013, the Double Market Bucks program has increased food security in Bloomington and the surrounding areas and strengthened the local food economy despite a restriction in SNAP issuance in Indiana. Decreased unemployment and changing policies have decreased the number of individuals eligible for SNAP benefits in our state. While participation in the Market Bucks Program decreased slightly in 2018 from previous years, SNAP benefits across the state declined at a greater rate. Bloomington-area SNAP users are voting with their dollars, and their demonstrated commitment to the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market emphasizes the impact of the Double Market Bucks Program. We are proud to be able to ease their access to fresh, local foods.
Marcia Veldman, Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market Coordinator
The Double Market Bucks Program has several purposes: • Reduce local food insecurity. • Strengthen the local food economy. • Promote healthy lifestyles among SNAP customers. • Increase access to nutritious foods available at Farmers’ Market. • Increase direct marketing opportunities for Farmers’ Market vendors. The following report shows how we attempt to accomplish these goals, and the status of Double Market Bucks spending during the 2018 Market season. As a Community Farmers’ Market, we feel strongly that we need to do everything in our power to support our community and increase food security. This work would not be possible without the incredible assistance from our community partners. Sincerely,
Marcia Veldman Farmers’ Market Coordinator
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Market at a Glance
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he Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market, founded in 1975, has been enriching lives in the community for 44 years. By providing a place for residents and visitors to come together in a festive atmosphere, the Farmers’ Market allows customers to buy local produce and other farm products directly from the growers. The Farmers’ Market’s mission aims to support small farmers and gardeners, securing a local food source and promoting food security in our community. In addition to the wealth of produce, plants, crafts and prepared foods available at every Market, customers can enjoy a rotating series of entertainment and programming. A Fair of the Arts, a juried art and fine crafts fair coincides with the market on the second Saturday of every month, May through October. Market staff facilitate a Salsa Contest and Tomato, Apple, and Soup Tastings throughout the season, and customers can shop to the sweet sounds of local musicians. The Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market makes supporting local agriculture a fun, lively, and communal experience!
MARKET DAYS
Saturdays April-September 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
250,000 Customers
Attended the Saturday and Tuesday Markets in 2018
Saturdays
October-November 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Bloomington City Hall, 401 N. Morton St.
Tuesdays June-September 4-7 p.m. Corner of Sixth & Madison Streets
126 Farm Vendors
Contracted to sell at the Saturday and Tuesday Markets in 2018
19 Prepared Food Vendors Sold at the Saturday and Tuesday Markets in 2018
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Market Bucks at the Market
What is the Double Market Bucks program? To increase food access regardless of income, the Bloomington Farmers’ Market began accepting SNAP benefits in 2007 through the Market Bucks program. In 2013 the Farmers’ Market, with the support of the Bloomington Parks Foundation, began an incentive program called Double Market Bucks to match SNAP purchases at the Market. When customers with SNAP benefits purchase Market Bucks, they receive a matching dollar amount (up to $18 per visit) in additional Market Bucks to use at the Farmers’ Market. Market Bucks are paper vouchers that come in $3 increments and may be used like cash to purchase fresh, locally produced fruits, vegetables, breads, meats, eggs and dairy.
How do customers obtain Market Bucks? SNAP customers purchase Market Bucks during Farmers’ Market hours by swiping their Hoosier Works debit card on the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) machine. During the Saturday Farmers’ Market, Market staff facilitate transactions at the front desk of City Hall. During the Tuesday Market, customers can obtain Market Bucks from the Market Information Table. Customers are welcome to exchange as many SNAP dollars they wish, in $3 increments; they will receive doubled Market Bucks up to $18. The entire transaction process takes just a few minutes to complete.
Do Market Bucks have to be spent immediately? Double Market Bucks are valid for the entire market season. Customers are welcome to save their Market Bucks for future weeks if they desire.
Are farm vendors required to participate? Vendor participation in the Double Market Bucks program is voluntary, but encouraged. About 85% of all eligible farm vendors – higher for regular vendors – accept Market Bucks. Many farm booths post signs indicating they accept Market Bucks, but not all. Customers are encouraged to ask their vendor if they accept Market Bucks!
How often do the farm vendors get paid? The frequency of vendor reimbursement depends on the vendor. Some vendors submit their Market Bucks for reimbursement after every Market, others wait a few weeks, or the entire season. Once they submit their Market Bucks to the Farmers’ Market staff, their reimbursement is processed within a couple of weeks.
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How much do people typically spend at the Market? Many customers opt to maximize the Double Market Bucks benefit and purchase $18 in Market Bucks (doubling up to $36) at each visit. Others withdraw more or less, depending on their needs. Of the 172 customers who purchased Market Bucks in 2018, the majority spent between $30 and $60 over the course of the market season. Twenty-one customers spent over $300 in Market Bucks at the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market in 2018.
When do people most frequent the Market? In 2018, most Saturday Market Buck transactions occurred between the months of May and September. In May we saw the highest customer turnout with $3,876 in transactions, followed closely by September. We suspect poor weather contributed to the decreased October and November sales. Double Market Bucks transactions peaked in July for the Tuesday Market.
How is decreased SNAP issuance impacting the Market? SNAP spending at the Bloomington Community Farmer’s Market peaked in 2015 at $21,948. With the support of the Market Bucks Program, spending that year totaled $41,976. Annually since 2015, the total SNAP dollars being spent at the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market has declined. USDA Food and Nutrition Service data also reflects this trend. While we cannot offer a definitive answer as to why SNAP sales are declining at the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market, we can suggest several factors including, but not limited to, a decrease in SNAP benefits distributed in Indiana. During the 2018 Market season, customers made $4,065 fewer SNAP purchases than the previous year. When accounting for Double Market Bucks, the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market managed $34,089 in transactions in 2017, and $26,238 in 2018—a difference of $7,881.
Changes to SNAP eligibility requirements at a state and federal level, as well as improvements to the overall economy, have both contributed to the decline in the number of households participating in the program and the dollar value of benefits being distributed. According to the Food and Nutrition Service, in 2014 approximately $1.3 billion was distributed to qualifying families in Indiana. In 2018, only $800 million was distributed—a 34% decrease over four years. This decline in SNAP distribution may be a significant factor contributing to the decline in SNAP sales at the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market.
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Contact Information Marcia Veldman Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market Coordinator City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department 812.349.3700 veldmanm@bloomington.in.gov Kiran Singh Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs Service Corps Fellow Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department 812.349.3700 singhk@bloomington.in.gov
Thanks to our community partners Bloomingfoods Market & Deli Bloomington Housing Authority City of Bloomington Community and Family Resources Department Community Kitchen Habitat for Humanity Hoosier Hills Food Bank IU Health Bloomington Monroe County CASA
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Monroe County Health Department Monroe County Community School Corporation Monroe County United Ministries Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard Salvation Army of Bloomington South Central Community Action Program
Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department bloomington.in.gov/farmersmarket
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