This past November I faced the difficult decision of whether or not to renew our application to administer the Kansas Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. I chose not to renew the program for the 2009 program period for a number of reasons, many of which are budgetary.
Kansas is one of four states in the nation that has administered the Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, but not the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. This is a similar program which targets recipients of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. The reason is a lack of sufficient state general fund match dollars. Many state agencies that receive Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program grants were already established as administering agencies for the WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program in that state. The administrative burden of administering these very similar programs eases considerably when the same state agency administers both programs.
I recognize this program provides real benefits to Kansas seniors and farmers. Structurally, however, the program has been challenging to manage and difficult to expand. Our agency has been supplementing the administrative money needed to staff the program.
The best approach for the State of Kansas is to implement both the Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program and the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. I have spoken to KDHE Secretary Rod Bremby about the need for one state agency to jointly administer both programs. When the financial picture for the state budget improves, Secretary Bremby and I will work together to advance a recommendation to fully fund both efforts. My ultimate goal is to strengthen and expand our efforts to provide nutrition assistance to Kansas seniors.
Most sincerely,
Secretary Greenlee