North Coast Growers Association

TO OPERATE CERTIFIED FARMERS' MARKETS FOR THE BENEFIT OF BOTH PRODUCERS AND CONSUMERS. TO PROMOTE AWARENESS OF AND SUPPORT FOR FARMERS' MARKETS. TO WORK WITH OTHER DIRECT MARKETING ASSOCIATIONS TO SHARE RESOURCES AND IMPROVE MARKET MANAGEMENT. TO EDUCATE CONSUMERS, AND TO PROMOTE AND IMPROVE ACCESS TO LOCAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS FOR THE COMMUNITY.

OPERATION OF CERTIFIED FARMERS' MARKETS IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: 9 FARMERS' MARKETS WERE OPEN IN 2021: "OLD TOWN FARMERS' MARKET" EUREKA, CA; "HENDERSON CENTER FARMERS' MARKET" EUREKA, CA; "FORTUNA FARMERS' MARKET" FORTUNA, CA; "MCKINLEYVILLE FARMERS' MARKET" MCKINLEYVILLE, CA; WILLOW CREEK FARMERS' MARKET" WILLOW CREEK, CA; "ARCATA PLAZA FARMERS' MARKET" LOCATED ON THE PLAZA IN ARCATA, CA; "SHELTER COVE FARMERS' MARKET" SHELTER COVE, CA; "MIRANDA FARMERS' MARKET" MIRANDA,CA; AND "GARBERVILLE FARMERS' MARKET", GARBERVILLE, CA. OVER 150 LOCAL FARMERS PARTICIPATE IN THESE MARKETS. OVER 4,500 CUSTOMERS ATTEND WEEKLY. EMPLOYEES OF NCGA STAFF THESE FARMERS' MARKETS.

CALFRESH OUTREACH PROGRAM: ADMINISTRATIVE EFFORTS TO PROMOTE CALFRESH AND ENROLL INDIVIDUALS IN THE CALFRESH PROGRAM (INCLUDING ADVERTISING, OUTREACH, EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS FIELD TRIPS AND MARKET TOURS) AS WELL AS THE PROCESSING OF CALFRESH BENEFITS THROUGH THE "EBT" SYSTEM (CUSTOMERS SWIPE THEIR EBT CARDS THROUGH A POINT OF SALE DEVICE THAT DEBITS THE CUSTOMER CARD AND ELECTRONICALLY DEPOSITS THE DAILY TOTAL INTO NCGA BANK ACCOUNT). ALL THE FARMERS' MARKETS NAMED ABOVE PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM. NCGA STAFF FACILITATES TOKENS (THE CALFRESH BENEFITS), WHICH ARE ISSUED TO CUSTOMERS AND THEN SPENT WITH THE FARMERS; FARMERS REDEEM THESE WITH MARKET STAFF. THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED IN PART THROUGH A GRANT FROM THE HUMBOLDT COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. THE TARGET POPULATION FOR THIS PROGRAM IS ALL LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY. WE SEE AN AVERAGE OF OVER 500 INDIVIDUAL CALFRESH RECIPIENTS PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM WEEKLY, WITH OVER 10,000 UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATING IN 2021. OVER 160 LOCAL FAMILY FARMS BENEFIT FROM CALFRESH SPENDING AT FARMERS' MARKETS; A TOTAL OF $204,000 CALFRESH DOLLARS WERE SPENT AT THESE 9 FARMERS' MARKETS IN 2021.

MARKET MATCH NUTRITION INCENTIVE PROGRAM: PROVIDES NUTRITION VOUCHERS AND TOKENS TO LOW-INCOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS. ALL THE FARMERS' MARKETS NAMED ABOVE PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM. NCGA STAFF DETERMINES INCOME ELIGIBILITY AND ENROLLMENT IN THE ABOVE LISTED ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND PROVIDES A DESIGNATED AMOUNT OF TOKENS OR VOUCHERS FOR THE PURCHASE OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES ONLY AT FARMERS' MARKETS. CUSTOMERS SPEND THE SCRIPT WITH THE FARMERS AND THE FARMERS REDEEM THESE WITH MARKET STAFF. THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED IN PART WITH GRANTS FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA NUTRITION INCENTIVE PROGRAM (CNIP), THE FEDERAL GUS SCHUMACHER NUTRITION INCENTIVE PROGRAM (GUSNIP FORMERLY CALLED FINI), A LOCAL HEALTH CENTER NETWORK (OPEN DOOR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS) AND A LOCAL COMMUNITY CENTERS. WE SEE AN AVERAGE OF OVER 500 INDIVIDUAL CALFRESH RECIPIENTS PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM WEEKLY, WITH OVER 10,000 INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATING IN 2021. NCGA STAFF ALSO FACILITATES A WEEKLY HARVEST BOX, MULTI-FARM CSA STYLE PRODUCE BOX DISTRIBUTION THROUGH OUR FARMERS' MARKET LOCATIONS AND BY DELIVERY. PRODUCE IS AGGREGATED FROM FARMERS AND SOLD TO CUSTOMERS, SOME OF WHOM USE CALFRESH FOR THE PURCHASE AND RECEIVE A 50% DISCOUNT THROUGH THE MARKET MATCH PROGRAM. OVER 150 LOCAL FAMILY FARMS BENEFIT FROM CALFRESH SPENDING AT FARMERS' MARKETS; A TOTAL OF $134,000 MARKET MATCH DOLLARS WERE SPENT AT THESE 9 FARMERS' MARKETS IN 2021.