Senior farmers market vouchers will be worth less this year, down from $10 each to $5
The Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program will this year provide county residents ages 60 and older who meet certain income guidelines with up to five $5 voucher checks they can exchange for fruit, vegetables and herbs at participating farmers markets and farm stands. The value of the vouchers is dropping by half, from $10 last year to $5 this year, reducing the overall amount individual voucher recipients have to spend from $50 to $25.
Lackawanna County officials announced the change in a recent news release, attributing it to a reduced legislative appropriation for the program.
The value of the voucher checks has fluctuated in recent years. They increased in 2020, from $5 to $6, before increasing again to $10 in 2023, thanks to expansion funding provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and two-year funding provided under the federal American Rescue Plan Act, according to a state Department of Agriculture budget presentation for fiscal year 2024-25.
The document noted the voucher values 'could recede in 2025 without additional federal or state investments.'
The change impacts a program particularly popular among Lackawanna County older adults, who last year redeemed farmers market vouchers at the highest rate in Pennsylvania. It's administered in the county by the Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging.
State figures for 2024 show Lackawanna County recipients redeemed 32,875 of the 36,350 voucher checks issued here, a state-high redemption rate of about 90.4%. Lackawanna was the only county in Pennsylvania to crack the 90% mark.
The value of the redeemed vouchers was $328,750 last year. They would be worth $164,375 this year.
Elsewhere in the region, the Area Agency on Aging for Luzerne and Wyoming Counties administers the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program in those counties. State figures list 39,555 vouchers redeemed in 'Luzerne' for a 2024 redemption rate of about 89.1%, though it's likely those figures also include vouchers redeemed by Wyoming County recipients.
Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging Director Sara McDonald recently attributed the program's local success in the county partly to its in-person distribution process. Reached Monday, McDonald said the reduction in voucher values will be unexpected by those who benefit from them.
'As a partner agency who plays a role in the distribution of vouchers, it's important to Area Agencies on Aging to communicate this to people in advance of the distributions,' she said in a text message. 'Cutting the vouchers in half as food costs continue to increase will impact many income eligible seniors by providing less choice when purchasing healthy produce from the farmers markets.'
McDonald said last month that local officials usually distribute the vouchers in June and early July. The Farmers Market Nutrition Program season runs from June through November, according to the state Department of Agriculture's website.
Information on the 2025 voucher season will be posted online at lackawannaaging.org when it becomes available. Program information is also available via the state Department of Agriculture's website, pa.gov/agencies/pda.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
2 days ago
US to build a $750M fly factory in Texas to stop a flesh-eating cattle parasite
The U.S. plans to build a $750 million factory in southern Texas to breed billions of sterile flies, ramping up its efforts to keep flesh-eating maggots in Mexico from crossing the border and damaging the American cattle industry. Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Friday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture hopes to be producing and releasing sterile male New World screwworm flies into the wild within a year from the new factory on Moore Air Base outside Edinburg, Texas, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the border. She also said the USDA plans to deploy $100 million in technology, such as fly traps and lures, and step up border patrols by 'tick riders' mounted on horseback and train dogs to sniff out the parasite. In addition, Rollins said the U.S. border will remain closed to cattle, horse and bison imports from Mexico until the U.S. sees that the pest is being pushed back south toward Panama, where the fly had been contained through late last year through the breeding of sterile flies there. The U.S. has closed its border to those imports three times in the past eight months, the last in July, following a report of an infestation about 370 miles (595 kilometers) from the Texas border. American officials worry that if the fly reaches Texas, its flesh-eating maggots could cause billions of dollars in economic losses and cause already record retail beef prices to rise even more, fueling greater inflation. The parasite also can infest wildlife, household pets and, occasionally, humans. 'Farm security is national security,' Rollins said during a news conference at the Texas State Capitol in Austin with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. 'All Americans should be concerned. But it's certainly Texas and our border and livestock producing states that are on the front lines of this every day.' The pest was a problem for the American cattle industry for decades until the U.S. largely eradicated it in the 1970s by breeding and releasing sterile male flies to breed with wild females. It shut down fly factories on U.S. soil afterward. The Mexican cattle industry has been hit hard by infestations and the U.S. closing its border to imports. Mexico's Agriculture ministry said in a statement Friday that Mexico Agriculture and Rural Development Secretary Julio Berdegué Sacristán and Rollins signed a screwworm control action plan. It includes monitoring with fly-attracting traps and establishing that livestock can only be moved within Mexico through government-certified corrals, the statement said. And on the X social media platform, Berdegué said, 'We will continue with conversations that lead to actions that will permit the reopening of livestock exports." The new fly-breeding factory in Texas would be the first on U.S. soil in decades and represents a ramping up of the USDA's spending on breeding and releasing sterile New World screwworm flies. The sterile males are released in large enough numbers that wild females can't help but mate with them, producing sterile eggs that don't hatch. Eventually, the wild fly population shrinks away because females mate only once in their weekslong lives. In June, Rollins announced a plan to convert an existing factory for breeding fruit flies into one for breeding sterile New World Screwworm flies, as well as a plan to build a site, also on the air base near Edinburg, for gathering flies imported from Panama and releasing them from small aircraft. Those projects are expected to cost a total of $29.5 million. The Panama fly factory can breed up to 117 million flies a week, and the new Mexican fly factory is expected to produce up to 100 million more a week. Rollins said the new Texas factory would produce up to 300 million a week. She said President Donald Trump's administration wants to end the U.S. reliance on fly breeding in Mexico and Panama. 'It's a tactical move that ensures we are prepared and not just reactive, which is today what we have really been working through,' Rollins said.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
A look at consumer prices 6 months into the second Trump administration
It's been a little over six months since President Donald Trump assumed office for his second term. In that time, the economic landscape has shifted quite drastically: The new administration has implemented broad tariffs on U.S. trade partners, the stock market has both plummeted and soared to historic heights, hiring is down, fears of a recession are on the rise and, perhaps most notably for everyday Americans, consumer prices are changing. Now $6.34, the cost of ground beef hit all-time highs for the sixth consecutive month, jumping another 4% since June. But it's not just backyard barbecues and ballpark dogs that are getting more expensive — bananas, electricity and chicken also remain at or less than a cent away from their record prices, according to the latest data from the Consumer Price Index. Across the board, consumer prices are about 2.7% higher than they were this time last year, an increase economists largely attribute to the president's sweeping tariffs pushing costs higher. And with even greater import taxes on more than 90 countries taking effect last week, it may not be the last time the price of consumer goods and services tips the scale. What US consumers can expect from new tariffs on imported goods The Tribune is tracking 11 everyday costs for Americans — eggs, milk, bread, bananas, oranges, tomatoes, chicken, ground beef, gasoline, electricity and natural gas — and how they are changing, or not, under the second Trump administration. This tracker is updated monthly using CPI data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. To see the average U.S. price of a specific good, click on the dropdown arrow below and select the item you wish to view. Egg prices have dropped for a fourth month straight, tumbling another 18 cents from June to July. According to the latest data, the average cost of a dozen large Grade A eggs is $3.60 nationwide. The sharp decline in egg prices is likely due to a decrease in bird flu cases in commercial and backyard flocks since the start of the year. In the first two months of 2025, tens of millions of birds were affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza across 39 states, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. As of July, the virus was detected in only one flock in Pennsylvania — representing less than 30,000 U.S. birds. Currently, the cost of eggs is about 13% less than it was in December 2024, before Trump took office. The cost of milk, meanwhile, is trending up again, jumping 13 cents month-over-month. There are a number of factors that could be driving this price increase. Like egg-laying hens and poultry flocks, dairy cows have been affected by bird flu. In April and May, the number of reported cases shot up again, so shoppers could be seeing the lingering effects of that disruption on the supply chain. Additionally, rising costs may be a result of lower milk production and fewer dairy products being imported into the country in recent months, according to Tribune analysis of USDA data. A gallon of fresh, fortified whole milk cost $4.16 in July. That price is 1.5% higher than it was in the last month of the administration of President Joe Biden and up 4.5% from a year ago. The average price of white bread fell for the third month straight, landing at $1.85 per pound in July to mark a nearly three-year low. Shoppers can expect to pay more for their next bunch of bananas. The staple fruit cost a record-breaking $0.66 per pound in July — just a fraction more than the previous high set two months ago. Inflated prices are likely due to Trump's trade war, with tariffs imposed on the country's top banana suppliers. Imports from Guatemala and Honduras are levied at 10%, while Ecuador and Costa Rica's tariff rates are set at 15% and Mexico is subject to a 25% tax. No data on orange prices was available for July. In June, the cost of navel oranges went up more than 4% for an average price per pound of $1.63 nationwide. Is it a fruit? Is it a vegetable? Wherever you fall on the tomato debate, they may be getting more expensive. In July, the cost of field-grown tomatoes was approximately $1.79 per pound. That's 5 cents higher than the previous month but down roughly 13% since Trump took power. These changes, however, are largely tied to the harvesting season. Tomato prices vary depending on the time of year, rising through the late summer and fall, peaking in the early winter months and then plummeting in the spring. But there may soon be price movement outside the standard seasonality. Last month, the Trump administration announced it was placing a 17% tariff on most Mexican-grown tomatoes, which make up the vast majority of all tomatoes sold in the U.S. As a result, agricultural business experts anticipate American grocers will start charging more for the staple food. The average cost of fresh, whole chicken fell slightly month-over-month to $2.08 per pound. Prices remain less than a cent off June's all-time highs and are the second highest on record — going back more than 45 years. So why the elevated prices? It could be a result of rising feed costs, the lingering effects of bird flu on the supply chain or that more measurable increases in beef prices are driving a shift in consumer demand toward cheaper meat options like chicken. The cost of ground beef is climbing up, up and up. In July, prices again notched record highs, with a pound of 100% ground beef chuck setting you back about $6.34. The rising cost can be attributed to a confluence of factors. The U.S. cattle inventory is the lowest it's been in almost 75 years, and severe drought in parts of the country has further reduced the feed supply, according to the USDA. Supply challenges and rising feed costs stateside mean the country is importing more. But beef and cattle sourced from other nations isn't necessarily a cheaper alternative. New tariff rates on top beef importers like Canada and Brazil took effect in August, raising the countries' already steep import taxes to 35% and 50%, respectively. Plus, last month the U.S. suspended all live cattle imports from Mexico due to concerns over a flesh-eating parasite, further straining the country's supply of beef and cattle. With increased costs both locally and abroad, this may not be the last time shoppers see record prices this year. From Laos to Brazil, President Trump's tariffs leave a lot of losers. But even the winners will pay a price. At approximately 19 cents per kilowatt-hour, the current price of electricity is one fraction of a cent off last month's record. Month-over-month changes in electric costs typically register at less than a cent, but that doesn't mean consumers won't feel it in their pocketbooks. Prices have been steadily increasing throughout the year, and in fact, July was the first month since January that the national average didn't notch a new high. As for Chicago, ComEd, the city's primary electric utility, announced earlier this year that a massive supply rate increase would hit this summer, warning that the cost for an average residential customer was expected to go up by $10.60 per month. For some Chicagoans, that supply increase translated to triple-digit hikes on their latest bills. Since December, the average price per kilowatt-hour has increased by more than 7%, and with long, hot summer days ahead, most Americans won't see lower rates anytime soon. Planning an end-of-summer road trip? You'll be happy to know gas prices are falling again — albeit only slightly. A gallon of regular unleaded costs $3.29, dropping 2 cents month-over-month. Prices in Chicago tell a different story. Now $3.52, the cost of gas in the city went up from the previous month and currently hovers about 7% higher than the national average, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Nationally, gasoline prices are up 4.5% under the Trump administration — a difference of 14 cents per gallon. The nationwide cost of piped utility gas, or natural gas, has fallen for the first time in a year. From June to July, the price dropped 1 cent to $1.64 per therm. Yet, on average, Americans are paying close to 8% more to heat their homes, ovens and stovetops than when Biden left office. Year-over-year, that difference is even more drastic: a roughly 17% change. Sign in to access your portfolio
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
A look at consumer prices 6 months into the second Trump administration
It's been a little over six months since President Donald Trump assumed office for his second term. In that time, the economic landscape has shifted quite drastically: The new administration has implemented broad tariffs on U.S. trade partners, the stock market has both plummeted and soared to historic heights, hiring is down, fears of a recession are on the rise and, perhaps most notably for everyday Americans, consumer prices are changing. Now $6.34, the cost of ground beef hit all-time highs for the sixth consecutive month, jumping another 4% since June. But it's not just backyard barbecues and ballpark dogs that are getting more expensive — bananas, electricity and chicken also remain at or less than a cent away from their record prices, according to the latest data from the Consumer Price Index. Across the board, consumer prices are about 2.7% higher than they were this time last year, an increase economists largely attribute to the president's sweeping tariffs pushing costs higher. And with even greater import taxes on more than 90 countries taking effect last week, it may not be the last time the price of consumer goods and services tips the scale. What US consumers can expect from new tariffs on imported goodsThe Tribune is tracking 11 everyday costs for Americans — eggs, milk, bread, bananas, oranges, tomatoes, chicken, ground beef, gasoline, electricity and natural gas — and how they are changing, or not, under the second Trump administration. This tracker is updated monthly using CPI data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor prices have dropped for a fourth month straight, tumbling another 18 cents from June to July. According to the latest data, the average cost of a dozen large Grade A eggs is $3.60 nationwide. The sharp decline in egg prices is likely due to a decrease in bird flu cases in commercial and backyard flocks since the start of the year. In the first two months of 2025, tens of millions of birds were affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza across 39 states, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. As of July, the virus was detected in only one flock in Pennsylvania — representing less than 30,000 U.S. birds. Currently, the cost of eggs is about 13% less than it was in December 2024, before Trump took office. The cost of milk, meanwhile, is trending up again, jumping 13 cents month-over-month. There are a number of factors that could be driving this price increase. Like egg-laying hens and poultry flocks, dairy cows have been affected by bird flu. In April and May, the number of reported cases shot up again, so shoppers could be seeing the lingering effects of that disruption on the supply chain. Additionally, rising costs may be a result of lower milk production and fewer dairy products being imported into the country in recent months, according to Tribune analysis of USDA data. A gallon of fresh, fortified whole milk cost $4.16 in July. That price is 1.5% higher than it was in the last month of the administration of President Joe Biden and up 4.5% from a year ago. The average price of white bread fell for the third month straight, landing at $1.85 per pound in July to mark a nearly three-year low. Shoppers can expect to pay more for their next bunch of bananas. The staple fruit cost a record-breaking $0.66 per pound in July — just a fraction more than the previous high set two months ago. Inflated prices are likely due to Trump's trade war, with tariffs imposed on the country's top banana suppliers. Imports from Guatemala and Honduras are levied at 10%, while Ecuador and Costa Rica's tariff rates are set at 15% and Mexico is subject to a 25% tax. No data on orange prices was available for July. In June, the cost of navel oranges went up more than 4% for an average price per pound of $1.63 nationwide. Is it a fruit? Is it a vegetable? Wherever you fall on the tomato debate, they may be getting more expensive. In July, the cost of field-grown tomatoes was approximately $1.79 per pound. That's 5 cents higher than the previous month but down roughly 13% since Trump took power. These changes, however, are largely tied to the harvesting season. Tomato prices vary depending on the time of year, rising through the late summer and fall, peaking in the early winter months and then plummeting in the spring. But there may soon be price movement outside the standard seasonality. Last month, the Trump administration announced it was placing a 17% tariff on most Mexican-grown tomatoes, which make up the vast majority of all tomatoes sold in the U.S. As a result, agricultural business experts anticipate American grocers will start charging more for the staple food. The average cost of fresh, whole chicken fell slightly month-over-month to $2.08 per pound. Prices remain less than a cent off June's all-time highs and are the second highest on record — going back more than 45 years. So why the elevated prices? It could be a result of rising feed costs, the lingering effects of bird flu on the supply chain or that more measurable increases in beef prices are driving a shift in consumer demand toward cheaper meat options like chicken. The cost of ground beef is climbing up, up and up. In July, prices again notched record highs, with a pound of 100% ground beef chuck setting you back about $6.34. The rising cost can be attributed to a confluence of factors. The U.S. cattle inventory is the lowest it's been in almost 75 years, and severe drought in parts of the country has further reduced the feed supply, according to the USDA. Supply challenges and rising feed costs stateside mean the country is importing more. But beef and cattle sourced from other nations isn't necessarily a cheaper alternative. New tariff rates on top beef importers like Canada and Brazil took effect in August, raising the countries' already steep import taxes to 35% and 50%, respectively. Plus, last month the U.S. suspended all live cattle imports from Mexico due to concerns over a flesh-eating parasite, further straining the country's supply of beef and cattle. With increased costs both locally and abroad, this may not be the last time shoppers see record prices this year. From Laos to Brazil, President Trump's tariffs leave a lot of losers. But even the winners will pay a approximately 19 cents per kilowatt-hour, the current price of electricity is one fraction of a cent off last month's record. Month-over-month changes in electric costs typically register at less than a cent, but that doesn't mean consumers won't feel it in their pocketbooks. Prices have been steadily increasing throughout the year, and in fact, July was the first month since January that the national average didn't notch a new high. As for Chicago, ComEd, the city's primary electric utility, announced earlier this year that a massive supply rate increase would hit this summer, warning that the cost for an average residential customer was expected to go up by $10.60 per month. For some Chicagoans, that supply increase translated to triple-digit hikes on their latest bills. Since December, the average price per kilowatt-hour has increased by more than 7%, and with long, hot summer days ahead, most Americans won't see lower rates anytime soon. Planning an end-of-summer road trip? You'll be happy to know gas prices are falling again — albeit only slightly. A gallon of regular unleaded costs $3.29, dropping 2 cents month-over-month. Prices in Chicago tell a different story. Now $3.52, the cost of gas in the city went up from the previous month and currently hovers about 7% higher than the national average, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Nationally, gasoline prices are up 4.5% under the Trump administration — a difference of 14 cents per gallon. The nationwide cost of piped utility gas, or natural gas, has fallen for the first time in a year. From June to July, the price dropped 1 cent to $1.64 per therm. Yet, on average, Americans are paying close to 8% more to heat their homes, ovens and stovetops than when Biden left office. Year-over-year, that difference is even more drastic: a roughly 17% change.
