Working with Farmers' Markets
NYC farmers' markets provide an opportunity for residents to buy fresh and affordable produce while supporting regional farmers. The Health Department offers two farmers' market-based programs: Health Bucks and Stellar Farmers' Markets.
2010 Farmers Market Report (PDF)
Health Bucks
The 2011 Health Bucks season is over. Check back in Spring 2012 for updated information.
Health Bucks, worth $2 each, are developed and distributed by NYC Health Department District Public Health Offices and can be used to purchase fresh fruits & vegetables at participating farmers markets (listed on each Health Buck).
Community organizations located in the District Public Health Office neighborhoods of the South Bronx, East and Central Harlem and Central Brooklyn may apply to receive Health Bucks to distribute to their clients as an incentive to support nutrition education and other health promotion activities.
Farmers' markets that accept food stamps (Electronic Benefit Transfer/EBT) will give one Health Buck coupon to each customer for every $5 spent using food stamps.
See a map (PDF) of the 2011 participating markets.
See posters listing the Health Bucks markets in each of the DPHO neighborhoods: The Bronx (PDF), Harlem (PDF), and Brooklyn (PDF).
Stellar Farmers' Markets
The 2011 Stellar Farmers’ Markets season is over. Check back in February 2012 for information about Winter Stellar Markets.
The Health Department works to ensure that farmers' markets are not just places to purchase healthy, local food, but also places for New Yorkers to engage in community activities and receive resources on how to lead healthier lives.
The Stellar Farmers' Market Initiative promotes the benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and improves the ability of New Yorkers to prepare healthy meals using locally grown, seasonal produce. Using the “Just Say Yes to Fruits and Vegetables” curriculum, Stellar Farmers' Market nutritionists provide free, comprehensive nutrition education workshops and cooking demonstrations at select farmers' markets throughout NYC. Workshops include topics such as healthy eating, food resource management, food safety, and tips on saving money when food shopping.
The 2011 participating Stellar Farmers' Markets are marked with a carrot (PDF).
Read a press release about Health Bucks and Stellar Farmers' Markets.
Want more information about the Health Department’s farmers’ market work? Contact us at farmersmarkets@health.nyc.gov.
