Eligible seniors and WIC participants across Pennsylvania can once again use state and federally funded vouchers to purchase fresh produce directly from local growers, as state officials formally launched the 2026 Farmers Market Nutrition Program season Tuesday afternoon at the Boalsburg Farmers Market.
The annual initiative provides low-income older adults and participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, commonly known as WIC, with cost-saving vouchers that can be redeemed for Pennsylvania-grown produce at approved farmers markets and farm stands throughout the commonwealth.
State and local leaders used the Centre County kickoff event to encourage eligible residents to take advantage of the program while emphasizing its dual purpose of increasing access to nutritious foods and supporting Pennsylvania agriculture.
“This is always a highlight for us, not just because of the importance of food and nutrition and access to it, but also we get a chance to celebrate the farms and the farm community around Pennsylvania,” state Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding said. “It is also a reminder to me that any day that you can celebrate the people who feed you is a good day…
“We are seeing the numbers in the food insecurities rise more than they have in recent years. In fact, since 2023, a 50.5% increase in the number of folks who are food insecure in Pennsylvania.”
Under the 2026 program, eligible seniors receive five $5 vouchers totaling $25, while eligible WIC participants receive three $10 vouchers worth $30. The vouchers can be redeemed through Nov. 30 at approved vendors statewide.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the vouchers may be used only to purchase fresh Pennsylvania-grown fruits, vegetables and edible herbs. Items such as baked goods, jams, meats, eggs, dairy products, honey and processed foods are not eligible purchases. The department reports that nearly 1,000 farmers statewide participate in the program, including nine at the Boalsburg Farmers Market
“It’s a bridge for our lower-income senior citizens and WIC program participants who buy fresh local vegetables and fruits here right in Pennsylvania,” Redding said. “I’m proud that Pennsylvania has over 1,000 farmers markets, and we have 1,000 farmers participating in markets that are part of the farmers market nutrition program.”
Nutrition Program’s senior vouchers. Photo by Evan Halfen | StateCollege.com
For seniors, eligibility is based on age and income. Applicants must be at least 60 years old by Dec. 31, 2026, and meet household income guidelines established by the state. Vouchers are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis until supplies are exhausted.
Tuesday’s kickoff also highlighted the local impact of the program in Centre County, where 24 farmers markets and farm stands accept the vouchers. Representatives from the Centre County Office of Aging and WIC were on hand Tuesday to distribute senior vouchers and assist residents with questions about eligibility. Additional distributions are scheduled throughout June in communities across the county.
According to Centre County Commissioner MarkHiggins, vouchers will continue to be distributed at the Bellefonte Senior Center in the Community Services Building from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on remaining weekdays in June. Distribution is also scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 16 at the Centre Hall Senior Center; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 17 at the Penns Valley Senior Center; and 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. June 18 at the Centre Region Active Adult Center.
The kickoff event also focused on the role the program plays in improving nutrition for families enrolled in WIC, which serves pregnant women, postpartum mothers, infants and young children.
“Access to fresh fruits and vegetables shouldn’t be just a luxury; it’s a basic part of every family’s ability to stay healthy,” director of Pennsylvania’s WIC program Sally Zubairu-Cofield said.
Zubairu-Cofield oversees nutrition education and program administration across all 67 counties. She said research has consistently shown that families with access to farmers market programs consume more fresh fruits and vegetables than those without that access.
“Good food is a fundamental building block,” she said. “Good food builds strong bodies. Good food builds healthy minds. Good food builds thriving communities. We’re not just feeding our neighbors, we’re nurturing the future of the commonwealth.”
She also noted that the benefits extend beyond those using the vouchers.
“When a participant or older neighbor uses their vouchers to buy a pint of strawberries or a bunch of leafy greens, those dollars go directly to support our Pennsylvania farmers,” Zubairu-Cofield said.
Tracy Kelley, director of the Home Nursing Agency WIC Program serving Blair and Centre counties, said the program introduces families to foods they may not otherwise have access to while connecting them directly with local producers.
“The Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program provides more than just fresh fruits and vegetables,” she said. “It creates access and a circle for our families…They get to meet their farmers and visit the farm stands. They get to build relationships with the people growing their food.”
Programs such as the Farmers Market Nutrition Program are increasingly important as households continue to face food insecurity and financial pressures, state Rep. Paul Takac, D-College Township, said.
“More than one in eight Pennsylvanians, 1.7 million of our neighbors, nearly half a million children may not know where their next meal is coming from,” Takac said. “Lower-income families and seniors on fixed or limited incomes are at the greatest risk of food insecurity, especially if they live in a food desert where fresh foods are not readily available.”
The program benefits both consumers and farmers by encouraging residents to shop at local markets, he added.
“They encourage and incentivize folks to get out to visit these markets, where they can not only find and purchase fresh food, but get to know the remarkable people who grow it,” Takac said. “It provides both short and long term benefits, not only for the nearly 1000 farmers who participate in the program, but everyone, including many of those most in need.”
According to the Department of Agriculture, in 2025, 7,751 checks were issued in Centre County, including 1,063 low-income seniors and 812 WIC family vouchers. The vouchers were redeemed for more than $35,000 worth of fresh, healthy food from Pennsylvania farmers. The value of FMNP vouchers redeemed and dollars directly supporting participating Pennsylvania farmers was more than $3.9 million statewide in 2025.
At the Boalsburg Farmers Market, several vendors already are equipped to accept the vouchers. Participating vendors include Ardry Farm, Crystal Hollow Farm, Green’s Fruit Farm, Harold Kreider Tomatoes, Hidden Branch Farm, Jade Family Farm LLC, K Schlegel Fruit Farm LLC, Oliver’s Path Farm, and Patchwork Farm.
The Boalsburg Farmers Market is held from 2 to 6 p.m. every Tuesday through November in the parking lot of the Pennsylvania Military Museum at 51 Boal Ave.
The producers-only market features local farms and food producers from across the region, and eligible residents can redeem Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers at participating vendors through Nov. 30.
