Farm Market Fresh Program

What is Farm Market Fresh?

Virginia's Farm Market Fresh program (also called Senior & WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program [S/FMNP]) helps eligible seniors get fresh, tasty, and nutritious locally grown fruit, vegetables, and cut herbs. The program also supports local farmers and farmers' markets in Virginia.

Who is eligible?

If all of the statements shown below are true, then you may be eligible to participate.
  • You are 60 years of age or older.
  • You are a resident of a locality that participates in the program.
  • You do not live in the same household and you are not an immediate family member of the farmer who grows the produce.
  • You meet the program's income requirements. You must certify your household income.

How does it work?

  • You must complete an application each year through your local Area Agency on Aging (AAA) to determine if you are eligible to participate in the program.
  • Applications may also be filled out online by visiting FarmMarketFresh.org or your local AAA website.

What is provided?

  • If your application is approved, you will receive $50,00 worth of vouchers per eligible senior for that growing season.
  • Each voucher is worth $5.00 and may be used to purchase fresh, locally grown fruit, vegetables, and cut herbs from participating certified retail farmers market vendors. *Please note: change cannot be given if the entire $5 is not used.
  • Certified retail farmers market vendors will accept vouchers for fresh, locally grown fruit and vegetables in-season, depending on the produce items available.

What's in season?

Farm Market Fresh vouchers are issued for the summer growing season and usually must be spend during the months of June through November, depending on availability of produce.

Vouchers are used only for typical fruit and vegetables that grow in Virginia and may be found at Virginia's retail farmer's markets in a normal season, such as those listed below. The varieties, volume, and quality of available produce may vary depending on the weather and other factors.
VEGETABLES
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Greens
Green beans
Green peppers
Lima beans
Mushrooms
Pumpkins
Potatoes
Spinach
Squash
Sweet corn
Sweet potatoes

FRUIT
Apples
Blackberries
Cantaloupe
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Watermelons

OTHER PRODUCE
Fresh cut herbs

Items not eligible

Items that you may NOT purchase with the Farm Market Fresh voucher include:
  • produce that is not locally grown such as oranges, bananas, and pineapples
  • processed foods such as honey, maple syrup, cider, nuts, meat, bread, and cheese
  • non-food items such as flowers and plants are NOT eligible
  • dried herbs and teas