As farmers markets draw a broader demographic, offerings change

Farmers markets are changing the diets of some low-income mothers and children in northern Nevada.

And the poor families, in turn, are playing a role in determining the sorts of crops that farmers in the region sell directly to consumers as their demand for fresh fruits and vegetables has grown dramatically.

The story begins in 2005, when Saint Mary's contracted to provide services through the federal WIC "Women, Infant and Children" program, which delivers healthy food and nutrition education to families with young children.

Saint Mary's officials soon learned the program didn't allow for distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables to WIC families. (The rule since has been changed.)

Casting about for a way to get more fresh fruit and vegetables into the diet of WIC families, Saint Mary's officials began providing them with coupons they could redeem at farmers markets.

Initially, the coupons were anything but a smashing success, says Michael Johnson, Saint Mary's vice president for community health and mission integration.

While farmers markets are popular with white middle-class families, they draw far fewer low-income or ethnically diverse consumers.

In fact, only $1,900 of the WIC coupons were redeemed at farmers markets in Reno and Sparks during the summer of 2006, the first year of the program.

But farmers at the markets around town began to see the stirrings of a change, says Ann Louhela, executive director of the Nevada Certified Farmers Market Association.

"There were all these young girls showing up, embarrassed and hesitant," Louhela says.

A two-pronged educational effort got under way. Saint Mary's WIC counselors began talking up the benefits of fresh foods purchased from farmers markets.

So did farmers.

"All of the farmers greeted them with open arms," says Louhela. "It was a great educational thing."

Slowly, she says, farmers began noticing that the new customers were returning from one farmers market to the next and they were beginning to bring their children and their parents with them.

The value of WIC coupons redeemed at farmers markets tripled from 2006 to 2007. By last summer, WIC families redeemed some $38,000 in coupons 20 times the use of the program's first year.

And even though federal rules now allow use of WIC debit cards for purchases of fresh fruits and vegetables at grocery stores, Johnson expects the families will continue to rely increasingly on farmers markets during the summer months.

"It works to the farmers' benefit," he says. "They want to get that demographic into the markets."

And Louhela says northern Nevada farmers, no dummies, are shifting their product offerings in response to the new shoppers.

"Farmers will grow what there is a demand for," Louhela says, noting that growers found success last summer with tomatillos and increased varieties of peppers.

Other growers see potential for a variety of Korean melon that will help draw Asian shoppers into the markets.

(The Farmers Market season in northern Nevada begins in early June. Go to nevadagrown.com for a schedule of events throughout the summer.)