Shopping at a farmer’s market is a fun way to stock up on nutritious, locally grown food. Thanks to a collaboration between UW Madison Division of Extension's Barron County Food Wise Program, Barron County Department of Health and Human Services, and Country Lane Farmer’s Market and Pantry in Barron—and supported by donations from Mayo Clinic Health System (MCHS) and Cupboard and Closet Thrift Store—more residents have access to seasonal fruits and vegetables. MCHS in Barron provided a $5,000 donation to help with this project.

The donation was used to purchase a card reader, and now people can use Quest/EBT benefits, debit cards or credit cards to purchase tokens that can buy produce at the Country Lane Famer’s Market in Barron. The tokens act as cash and can be used at any market booth that participates in the program. In the first four months of the program, 61 Food Share-eligible families have used their cards at the local market.

“We are excited that this program is finally available in our community," said Nichole Thompson, WIC director at Barron County Department of Health and Human Services. “We are so thankful for the support from Mayo Clinic Health System and Cupboard and Closet for helping us get this plan into action. Finding ways to increase access to healthy foods has been a goal of the group, and this is one step in the right direction. We plan to find more ways to help bring nutritious foods to everyone’s table.”

MCHS's support helps provide low-income individuals equal access to healthy food opportunities, provides educational opportunities at the market on the importance of eating fruits and vegetables, and reduces food insecurity in Barron County.