Cap senior FM food

The Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service awarded the Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries $1.382 million on October 1, 2025, under the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (CFDA 10.576). The award funds issuance of benefits to low-income seniors that can be exchanged for fresh, nutritious, unprepared, locally grown fruits, vegetables, honey, and fresh-cut herbs at farmers' markets, roadside stands, and community-supported agriculture operations in Alabama. The performance period runs through September 30, 2026. The program is authorized under a formula-based allocation model; SFMNP awards are distributed to state agencies without competitive selection. The recipient must maintain complete records of benefit issuance, redemption, authorized outlet agreements and monitoring, and nutrition education activities, with records retained for three years following final expenditure report submission. Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries administers the state plan of operations and coordinates with authorized farmers' markets and vendors for benefit redemption.