A farmers market is a public and recurring assembly of farmers or their representatives selling food that they produced directly to consumers (Farmers Market Coalition, 2020). Catawba County currently has five farmers markets; Catawba County Public Health Farmers Market, Conover Farmers Market, Downtown Hickory Farmers Market, Murray's Mill Farmers Market, and Farmers Market at Center United Methodist Church. Market seasons for all the farmers markets vary slightly year to year.  

For SNAP Double Bucks, for every $1.00 spent at the farmers market, $1.00 will be matched from funding. This will allow customers who utilize SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) to purchase a greater quantity of fresh produce.

Reference: 

Farmers Market Coalition. (2020). What is a Farmers Market. Retrieved December 2, 2020 from https://farmersmarketcoalition.org/education/qanda/. 

The Catawba County Food Council’s strategies will target the the census tracts of 103.03, 104.2, 106, 107, 109, 110, 112 and 113, which are low-income census tracts where a significant number or share of residents are more than ½ or 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket. At this time the census tracts targeted are based on the 2015 data from the USDA's Food Access Research Atlas. The Food Council had also planned to target parents and/or caregivers of children ages 2 to middle school within the low income and low access census tracts.

The Catawba County Food Council's action plan includes the following strategies related to farmers markets. The work group recognizes the importance of focusing on evidence-based strategies. Action steps related to the following strategies are discussed and updated during monthly work group meetings. 

Strategies: Farmers Markets

• Maintain and sustain farmers market SNAP Double Bucks and WIC Bonus Buck programs
  • Find sustainable funding
• Educate community on SNAP/EBT use and Double Bucks programs at farmers markets
  • Community health worker position at Hickory Farmers Market
• Expand number of farmers and farmers markets that accept SNAP/EBT
• Educate local farmers at farmers markets and hobby farmers on how to donate their fresh produce to food pantries
• Virtual education on SNAP/EBT

Policy Agenda:  Equitable Access to Healthy Foods

1. We support and advocate for sustainable policy, systems, and environmental change strategies that support equitable access to healthy foods for all community members. 
2. We believe equitable access to healthy foods can be achieved through community education, SNAP Double Bucks, and the elimination of food deserts in support of a healthier community.