Posts Tagged: market
UC ANR experts offer counsel as CalFresh benefits shrink, participants face hunger
Reduction of SNAP benefit deepens crisis of inflation, high cost of living, low wages
Starting this month, many of the estimated 3 million people in the CalFresh program – California's version of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) – will be facing hunger and making difficult decisions to meet their most basic needs. In late March, participants received the last of the pandemic-related emergency aid that significantly boosted their monthly benefits. The reduction varies by household size and income; for example, in April a single-person household could see a drop from $281 per month to $23.
“The emergency food allotments had a tremendous impact in our communities and across the nation,” said Shannon Klisch, academic coordinator for the Youth, Families and Communities Program for UC Cooperative Extension in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. “One study estimated that these allotments kept more than 4 million people out of poverty across the U.S. in the last quarter of 2021, and reduced child poverty by 14%.”
SNAP increases during the pandemic made many Californians more food-secure, with some participants reporting that their allotments finally had been enough to feed their families for the month, according to Wendi Gosliner, a project scientist at the Nutrition Policy Institute (a program of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources). But, with the benefit reductions, food insecurity is emerging again as a serious concern.
“It is inconceivable that a nation this wealthy should have so many people experiencing hunger,” Gosliner said. “And here in California, with the high cost of living, ongoing inflation and extreme income and wealth disparities, people are being forced to explore every possible avenue just to feed themselves and their families.”
To help ensure they are receiving the maximum allotment, Klisch recommends that CalFresh participants – especially those who applied during the pandemic and are relatively new to the program – double-check their information.
“If the county doesn't have your most up-to-date information, call your county worker if you've changed your address, if you've experienced decreased income, if your housing costs have gone up, or if you have new expenses – like child or dependent care expenses or medical expenses – these can help you qualify for more CalFresh funds,” she explained.
For families with school-aged children, Klisch said they can stretch their food dollars and promote healthy eating by encouraging their children to eat breakfast and lunch at school through California's universal free school meals, and all families with children under 18 can watch for the next issuance of the P-EBT (Pandemic EBT) card, worth potentially hundreds of dollars.
In addition to these options for food assistance, Klisch pointed to programs that can help people save money on other household expenses, such as California Alternate Rates for Energy Programs (CARE) and Affordable Connectivity Program. Local food banks are also gearing up across the state to handle an expected surge in clients in need of emergency food; a list of California food banks can be found at cafoodbanks.org/our-members.
“We ask a lot of low-income families and workers to navigate and piece together various programs, applications, and benefits when we don't commit to a strong safety net,” Klisch said. “On the other hand, when people have enough money for food, everyone benefits through decreased health care costs and increased economic activity.”
Gosliner also said that people should look into their eligibility for WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children), as well as the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and CalEITC, poverty-alleviation benefits underused by Californians.
“People should make sure they are accessing all the safety net benefits for which they are eligible,” Gosliner said.
Market Match, other nutrition incentive programs can help
Through programs like Market Match, available at about 300 farmers markets across California affiliated with the Ecology Center, CalFresh participants can have their EBT benefits “matched” by their local market (usually up to $10 or $15 per visit).
“People are looking to get creative about how to stretch their food dollars, and Market Match is one way to do that,” said Klisch, who has led UCCE efforts to help promote the program along the Central Coast since 2017.
Striving to expand access to fresh fruit and vegetables and to support local farms, UCCE and CalFresh Healthy Living, UC worked with partners to increase CalFresh redemption at farmers markets in San Luis Obispo and northern Santa Barbara counties.
In 2017, about $48,000 in CalFresh and Market Match benefits were redeemed at farmers markets in the area. In 2022, the total was more than $207,000 – a 327% increase. According to Ecology Center figures for the entire state, CalFresh and Market Match spending at farmers markets jumped 161% from 2019 to 2021, up to $13 million.
Gosliner, whose research has shown that these nutrition incentive programs are associated with increased food security, noted that “the people who use Market Match absolutely love the program and feel it is incredibly helpful.” She also added that the California Department of Social Services is developing a pilot program that would offer match incentives for purchasing fruits and vegetables at larger food retailers.
Although the biggest of its kind, Market Match is just one of the programs across California that provide “matches” for healthy food purchases under the California Nutrition Incentive Program, which in turn is primarily funded by GusNIP (the nationwide Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program).
GusNIP dollars – and SNAP overall – are governed by the federal Farm Bill, typically renewed every five years and currently being negotiated by Congress.
/h3>/h3>HR: Market Equity Adjustment Plan year two approved
Dear Colleagues:
Attracting and retaining highly qualified employees continues to be a top priority for UC ANR. It has been a critical part of our strategic plan and a key to our ability to deliver the mission. Over the last several years, the labor market has continued to change due to factors like the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation and shifts in the labor markets. Those factors have increased pressures on household budgets for many of our employees leading to a variety of efforts by UC ANR to address the needs of our employees.
I'm pleased to let you know that, as part of UC ANR's overall market-equity compensation strategy, I have approved year two of the accelerated two-year Market Equity Adjustment Plan for policy-covered (non-represented) staff. This program will ensure salaries of new and existing staff are aligned with the competitive labor market. This program is designed to be effective as of April 2023; changes in the paychecks of eligible employees will first be seen in May 2023.
Using UC Career Tracks, UC ANR Human Resources will be able to identify, review and address the salaries of policy-covered staff members whose pay is not well-aligned in their competitive zone targets. All career policy-covered staff, whose work performance meets expectation are eligible to participate in this plan, regardless of their position's funding source. Please note: these equity adjustments are separate and distinct from the UC systemwide salary program that may be approved and announced by President Drake. Additional information on program eligibility and payroll dates will soon be forthcoming.
If you are represented by an union, we are excited to share the positive news that all UC ANR collective bargaining agreements are signed and in place; meaning covered employees have guaranteed pay increases for the duration of their agreement.
Market compensation equity for UC ANR advisors is also under review. UC ANR is conducting a market survey with the assistance of the consulting firm Cotter & Sullivan. We expect that the result of this survey will inform potential equity action that should be taken for UC ANR to remain competitive.
UC ANR leadership is committed to the health and well-being of our employees. This Market Equity Adjustment program is designed to address compensation issues that may impact recruitment and retention efforts, program support, enhancements to business operations, communications and more. Questions and follow-up can be addressed to humanresources@ucanr.edu.
As always, many thanks for the great work you do to serve our mission and the people of California.
Glenda Humiston
Vice President
UCCE is helping CalFresh shoppers double food dollars at farmers markets
Across California, CalFresh shoppers can use their EBT cards at most farmers markets and double the value of their benefit, up to $10 per family each market day.
“This benefit is underused,” said Chutima Ganthavorn, nutrition, family and consumer sciences advisor in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. “There may be a perception that farmers market prices are higher than in regular grocery stores.”
To help promote the Market Match program that makes shopping at farmers markets more affordable for CalFresh customers, Ganthavorn worked with the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources news and information outreach in Spanish office to develop videos in English and Spanish that clearly explain the program for potential users.
“Our program, CalFresh Healthy Living, UCCE, provides nutrition education to CalFresh-eligible participants in Coachella Valley to promote increasing consumption of locally grown, fresh fruits and vegetables,” Ganthavorn said. “Increasing buying power at farmers markets helps participants incorporate delicious, local produce into affordable meals for the whole family.”
To use Market Match, CalFresh recipients visit a kiosk at the market and use their EBT card to purchase $10 in wooden tokens. The program provides an additional $10 in tokens for purchase of fruits and vegetables only. The $20 can then be used to purchase items at all the farmers' booths that day at the market. Shoppers can look up participating farmers markets by going to FMFinder.org.
“Wow! These (videos) are terrific,” said Megan Goehring, the manager of the Palm Springs farmers market. “Will share on social media today.”
Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers and Women, Infants and Children vouchers can also be used at participating farmers markets.
Below are the videos and their YouTube URLs for easy sharing:
Spanish -
English - https://youtu.be/dz6R_l123AE
/span>Rewarding farmers for their practices - A dialogue between buyers and farmers slated for September 17, 2020 https://youtu.be/Ot1KSrfsfLA
Getting ahead of marketplace demands – What farmers can do -
August 31, 2020 https://youtu.be/Ot1KSrfsfLA
“Last fall, I participated in the National Sustainable Agriculture Summit in Indianapolis, IN,” says Jeff Mitchell, Cropping Systems Cooperative Extension Specialist with the University of California, Davis.
This was a very large gathering of over 650 people representing various sectors of the food system.
One of the main messages in the keynote address of this meeting that was delivered by Patricia Stroup, Vice President of Nestle, - the largest buyer and seller of food in the world was that “if you want to sell your food to us, you'll meet our specifications.”
A rather blunt warning to farmers about how they do things.
“And I don't know how far along it's gotten,” Mitchell adds, “but there are now apparently efforts under way in Europe mandating an increase in organic agriculture to 20%, along with a 50% reduction in pesticide use and 20% less fertilizer use by 2030.”
“I know a farmer though, who is quite fond of saying that he doesn't want to be told how he should farm.”
He is quite literally way out ahead of these sorts of supply chain, or for that matter, government pressured that are now beginning to be seen.
It is not at all exaggerating to say that buyers are ‘beating a pathway to his farm' because they want to buy what he grows.
He is beyond being pressured.
The question of what farmers may start to do to be ahead of marketplace demands is what will be discussed in a public webinar that will be held on September 17th from 9 AM to noon.
A $10 registration fee to offset meeting coordination expenses and to support the long-term research work in Five Points may be paid by registering early at https://ucanr.edu/sjvcottonwebinar
Cotton growing following soil health management practices of reduced disturbance and surface residue preservation, Five Points, CA
Healthy soils for healthy profits - How do we get to $2.50/lb cotton in the SJV?
JM HealthySoils Sept17-St