Low-income New Yorkers spent half a million dollars at farmer's markets last year according to the City Council, which, under the leadership of Speaker Christine Quinn and Mayor Michael Bloomberg, has invested city money for more of the machines that process food stamps at markets across the city. As the Daily News points out, that's about twice the number of food stamps spent at farmer's markets in 2009.
The increase could come from more lower-income families spending their money at farmer's markets than on less-than-fresh food at grocery stores or bodegas -- which would be great -- or it could come from a rise in the number of locavores who suddenly qualified for food stamps because of the recession and went to farmer's markets anyway -- which would mean that $500,000 didn't entirely raise the amount local growers brought in but just shifted the source of the money.
Either way, New York City, which has been a leader on this issue, still has room for improvement. Many of the city's greenmarkets -- and most of the ones open year-round -- are located in gentrified or gentrifying areas of the city which are likely already served by plenty of grocers and restaurants.
Most disappointingly, though, this is the case of a progressive city working to counteract failing federal policies. As hard as New York works to subsidize low-income families so they can buy fresh fruits and vegetables, it's a drop in the bucket compared to the federal subsidies that create the cockeyed food system that makes a fast food hamburger $1. The policies that would encourage Americans to eat and live more healthfully are varied and difficult, and paying for food stamp machines at farmer's markets is just a piece.
-- Monica Potts
