Staff member announces WIC farmers market benefits at three Mecklenburg County markets

A staff member (S1) announced that eligible participants in the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program will be able to use farmers market benefits "for the first time in Mecklenburg County," giving pregnant and breastfeeding people and children ages 2 to 4 access to fresh fruits and vegetables at three markets. "For the first time in Mecklenburg County, eligible WIC clients, pregnant, breastfeeding, children 2 to 4 years old will have access to fresh fruits and vegetables at 3 of our farmers markets," the staff member said.

The speaker named the Charlotte Regional Market, the Uptown Farmers Market and the North Mecklenburg Community Farmers Market as those three locations. The announcement said the effort is being delivered in partnership with the North Carolina WIC farmers market program, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Food Policy Council and the Mecklenburg County Food Security Program.

S1 also described an expanded Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program that will be offered at six farmers markets, saying the senior program includes markets that participate in the Wake Farmers Market Nutrition Program. "We also have a senior farmers market nutrition program. This is being offered at 6 of our farmers markets as well," the staff member said. The transcript does not specify which six markets are included.

The staff member framed the initiatives as both improving household food access and supporting local producers: "it also supports our local farmers by giving them an opportunity to serve our clients with locally grown foods, which expands the food baskets at many of our households." The presenter (S2) added that markets bring diverse participants together — "We have seniors. We have farmers. You can bring your children to the market" — emphasizing the markets’ role as community hubs.

The speaker also said other benefit programs and transportation supports will be used to increase affordability and access. "Over 65% of our market have SNAP level at max," S1 said; the transcript does not define what metric "SNAP level at max" refers to or which markets are included in that figure. S1 further noted that the Wake Farmers Market Nutrition Program and a CDF Farmers Market Nutrition Program are part of the benefit mix, and announced that microtransit will serve some northern markets to help residents reach them.

The transcript records no formal vote or policy adoption during this session. The announcements describe program rollouts and partnerships; the speakers did not provide implementation timelines or the specific administrative steps for enrollment and benefit redemption. The session closed with the staff member saying the office is "excited to serve our community in this way."