Looking for a way to add fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet? The Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) returns to Snohomish County for summer 2025, providing:

– Benefits to lower-income older adults to purchase locally grown fruits, vegetables, honey, and herbs; and

– Support for local farming by increasing the use of farmers markets, roadside stands and community supported agriculture.

According to a Snohomish County Human Services Department news release, all applications must be received by 4 p.m. on May 5, 2025.

SFMNP provides low-income seniors with resources in the form of fresh, nutritious, unprepared, locally grown fruits, vegetables and herbs from local participating farmers markets and farm stands. SFMNP makes it easier to add fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet, increase health and well-being, and support local farmers and community supported agriculture programs.

Eligible low-income seniors can apply to receive a pre-loaded benefit card worth $80 to purchase produce directly from participating farmers markets and farm stands. Eligibility includes Snohomish County residents who are aged 60+ for non-Native Americans and aged 55+ for Native Americans by June 30, 2025, and who have an income up to $2,413/month for one person and up to $3,261/month for two people. For larger households, add $848 per person.

Applications are accepted online and by mail. Online applications save time, avoid postal mail delay, don’t require a postage stamp, and offer expansive language options through Google Translate. To learn more about SFMNP, including eligibility requirements, and to apply online, visit www.snohomishcountywa.gov/1002/Nutrition-Programs.

All eligible applications will be processed up to available funding. Cards will be mailed to eligible Snohomish County applicants mid-June and must be used by Oct. 31, 2025.  Call the Snohomish County Aging and Disabilities Resource Network (ADRN) at 425-513-1900 for assistance completing an application in English or for assistance in other languages.

The SFMNP is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Washington State Department of Health’s Office of Nutrition Services, and the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services Aging and Long-Term Support Administration.

“In 2025, the SFMNP helped more than 2,700 low-income seniors access fresh produce from local farms. The SFMNP is a valuable resource for older adults in our community and expands the use of local farmers markets, farm stands, and community-supported agriculture programs,” said Cole Caplan, supervisor in the Snohomish County Human Services Department.