Women, Infant and Children cuts to reduce farmers market program
Published 1:30 am Friday, May 15, 2026
PORT TOWNSEND — Only an initial allocation of 29 Jefferson County children and families will receive Women, Infants and Children Farmers Market Nutrition Program benefits this year following 61 percent cuts to a vital bridge between low-income families and fresh, local produce.
The state Department of Health noted that this is a preliminary number and benefits may be redistributed throughout the season based on redemption rates.
In 2025, 106 local children were served by the program, meaning this year’s initial allocation represents a 72 percent drop in participating individuals, Jefferson County Farmers Market (JCFM) Executive Director Amanda Milholland said.
Jefferson County Public Health, which administers the benefits, distributes them on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. When eligible applicants surpass available benefits, recipients are chosen at random using a software tool.
Milholland noted that the program has never had sufficient funding to extend to all WIC recipients.
The loss is impactful and layered, Milholland said. In addition to children and families losing the nutritional value, they lose access to being a part of the markets, she added.
The state Department of Health, which administers U.S. Department of Agriculture funds to counties, announced the reductions in April.
“The reduction to WIC FMNP is very disappointing,” Milholland said. “Only approximately 7 percent of local children and families who receive WIC will have access to fresh fruits and vegetables through the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) this summer.”
Pregnant WIC recipients and those with children younger than 5 are eligible for FMNP benefits. Those awarded receive $30 per child younger than five, up to three children. Those funds are then matched by the JCFM, Milholland said.
Farmers also are losing revenue, Milholland said, noting that about 11 percent of farmer revenue came from food access benefits last year.
In addition to the WIC FMNP program, the market has a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) match and a Senior FMNP program.
In an effort to counteract the loss, JCFM is launching a community-match program, Family VegRx. Every $30 raised will be matched by JCFM, which will maintain the WIC eligibility requirements.
The Family VegRx program will be operated independently by JCFM and is separate from official state and national WIC operations.
The market initially has printed 100 Family VegRx vouchers to be distributed by Public Health to those who miss out on the randomized allocation, with an initial goal of raising at least $3,000 from the community to fund the gap. Funds raised will be matched by JCFM, whose staff hopes to eventually raise $6,000 and match another $6,000.
“A piece that we need now is the community to step up and help us, fill the gap that has been caused by these federal cuts to the Farmers Market Nutrition Program,” Milholland said.
Tax-deductible donations can be made at zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/wic-vegrx-fund.
Those interested in supporting the JCFM’s food access programs can attend the annual Farm-to-Table Benefit Dinner on Aug. 9.
“That benefit dinner is our primary way of filling our bucket back up so that we have the ability to meet our community’s need to be able to access fresh fruit and vegetables from the farmers market,” Milholland said.
The market also raises funds through small grants, Give Jefferson, business and individual donations.
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Reporter Elijah Sussman can be reached by email at elijah.sussman@peninsuladailynews.com
