S-0697.1
SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5214
State of Washington
69th Legislature
2025 Regular Session
By Senate Human Services (originally sponsored by Senators Shewmake, Harris, Wellman, Kauffman, Stanford, Chapman, Riccelli, Saldaña, Hasegawa, Krishnadasan, Nobles, Slatter, and Valdez)
READ FIRST TIME 01/23/25.
AN ACT Relating to mobile market programs; adding a new section to chapter 43.70 RCW; creating a new section; and providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that small local farmers play a crucial role in providing communities with access to fresh, healthy foods. Farmers markets provide a place for local farmers to sell their products, encouraging consumption of fresh products in the communities in which they were grown.
The legislature recognizes that some households may live in rural areas or food deserts where access to farmers markets and fresh food is limited. There are a number of programs to help increase access to fresh, healthy foods for low-income communities. The farmers market nutrition program was established by congress in 1992 to provide fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables to women, infants, and children program participants and to expand the awareness, use of, and sales at farmers markets which benefits both program participants and local farmers. Similarly, the senior farmers market nutrition program provides low-income seniors with access to locally grown fruits and vegetables. Participants in both programs commonly use their food benefit at farmers markets, farms, and farm stands.