November 3, 2020
Simply Produce Featured in Hansen Foundation Magazine
Submitted by JoEllyn Argabright
The K-State Research and Extension program, Simply Produce, is set to be featured in the November issue of the Dane G. Hansen Foundation’s quarterly magazine, Northwest Kansas Today. This publication reaches all households in the twenty-six county Hansen service area.
Simply Produce is a produce purchasing incentive program that utilizes local retail venues. It is designed to increase access to healthy fruits and vegetables for consumers, while stimulating positive economic impacts and building regional food system sustainability. Community residents are provided the opportunity to purchase fifteen pounds of produce for fifteen dollars, roughly half the cost of retail, through their local grocery store. The purchase is taxable. Produce baskets are available at regular intervals (for example, every two weeks). Grocers accept orders during a clearly defined ordering window, purchase basket contents through their regular distributor, and utilize local volunteers to distribute bulk produce from a pre-established location, during a set pick up time.
The Northwest Simply Produce Advisory Team is working to assist implementation around the region and plans to make this program available to the remainder of the state in the 2022 program year. This is an approved SNAP-Ed Policy, System & Environmental Change (PSE) initiative.
For more information, please contact NW FCS Specialist Jo Argabright at joargabright@ksu.edu, or Janelle VanKooten, NW SNAP-Ed Specialist, at janellev@ksu.edu.