Farmers' Market Nutrition Education Program (FMNP)
About | Locations & Directions | FMNP Collaborators
CUCE-NYC Participation in the FMNP
Locations & Directions:
New York City Farmers Market locations
Urban families and seniors with limited resources may not be able to consume the amounts of fruits and vegetables recommended in the new Dietary Guidelines and MyPyramid.
Many are not familiar with regionally-grown produce and are limited in access to stores and markets that sell a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Those with limited resources need ways (and incentives) to select, purchase, and prepare fresh produce to have a positive impact on their short and long-term nutritional status.
Target Audience
CUCE-NYC has collaborated in the New York State FMNP since its inception in 1989.
Most in need are:
- Families enrolled in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program
- Income-eligible seniors
- Youth from low-income households
FMNP Goals
CUCE-NYC's primary goals are to promote consumption of locally-grown fruits and vegetables, and to promote proper use of FMNP checks. Other goals are to:
- increase participant access to fresh fruits and vegetables
- motivate participants to purchase and to increase consumption of these foods
- promote both New York State growers and agricultural products
- promote farmers' markets
Nutrition & Health Education
CUCE-NYC provides nutrition and health education at farmers' markets by:
- demonstrating healthy, culturally-sensitive hot and cold food recipes using fresh produce from the farmers
- encouraging customers to taste the prepared recipe of the day
- helping customers get to know more about fruits and vegetables sold at market
- promoting fresh, locally-grown produce and the farmers who grow for market
- promoting effective use of FMNP checks
- encouraging use of EBT (Food Stamp Program) and NYC DOH Health Bucks at participating markets
- engaging customers in hands-on, interactive, dialogue-based learning
- emphasizing the practice of food safety
- engaging customers in light physical activity (exercise)
- making referrals to various workshops through Cornell University Cooperative Extension
- making referrals to other food resources, including nearby food pantries and soup kitchens and free summer lunch programs
Professional Extension Educators lead a team of seasonal employees and volunteers through well-planned interactive activities that connect customers to produce and the farmers that grow it. Teams work at participating farmers' markets from June through September.
- Seasonal employees are graduates from Nutrition and Health Programs directly employed by CUCE-NYC for one season to work at markets. CUCE-NYC is committed to helping seasonal employees through additional training to enhance their résumés, and encouraging them to move on to other jobs when the market season is over.
- College and graduate student volunteers (pdf) come from many of NYC's institutions of higher education to gain valuable experience in community nutrition and public health, as well as insight into possible career paths.
The 2007 Season
In 2007, 30 volunteers and 16 staff reached over 19,000 people with simple nutrition and health messages at 13 farmers markets in 4 boroughs of NYC. Shoppers tasted delicious fruits and cooked vegetables provided by local farmers and prepared by our team. They saw food safety techniques in action, and learned how to use their FMNP checks. They were encouraged to use EBT (Food Stamp Program) and NYC DOH Health Bucks at participating markets.
For more information contact Erika Ichinose, FMNP Coordinator at 212-340-2976 and ei22@cornell.edu.