The 2024 Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) season concluded on October 31, 2024. If you're interested in learning more about the program or would like to be notified about the 2025 season, please send us an email.
Why FMNP?
- Do you grow fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs and sell them at farmers' markets?
- Are you looking for a way to increase sales and reach new customers?
Farmers provide fresh, unprocessed, locally grown fruits, vegetables, and herbs that are at the core of both the Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) and Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) (together known as FMNP). At the same time, FMNP participants learn about farmers' markets and how to buy fresh products from local farmers.
If you grow fresh fruits and vegetables, sell them at farmers' markets, and want to increase sales and reach new customers, read more about becoming an Authorized Vendor for the FMNP below. Due to limited funding, we can only offer these programs in a limited number of areas – ask your market manager if your market participates in these programs.
Requirements for Vendors
To be eligible to become an Authorized Vendor, you must:
- Grow the items that you sell
- Sell fresh, unprocessed fruits, vegetables, or herbs
- Sell your items at an Authorized Farmers' Market
- Be a resident of Minnesota or a neighboring state
Requirements for all Authorized Vendors
To be eligible to sell produce to FMNP participants, you must:
- Determine that you sell fresh, unprocessed fruits, vegetables, and herbs at an Authorized Farmers' Market.
- Take a short 30-minute MDA training in March or April (because of the major program changes in 2024).
- Complete a Vendor Authorization Agreement (only available by attending a Vendor Training Session).
- After you complete the training, you will get a link to the online Vendor Authorization Agreement.
- Have an Authorization Letter from the MDA.
NOTE: You are NOT an Authorized Vendor until you receive your Authorization Letter from us. We'll send out authorization materials between May 1 and June 15. If you haven't received your Authorization Letter by June 15, contact us.
REMEMBER: You must be reauthorized EVERY year to continue to accept FMNP checks.
Hybrid Solution Overview- Redemption Options
- Farmers can download the TPS RapidFMNP mobile app to scan and redeem coupons right at the Farmers Market or post-market for simple electronic coupon acceptance and processing. Look from an email from RP Solutions asking you to set up your vendor account. The email will come from MN FMNP Merchant Services (merchantservices@secureoptserver.com).
- If Farmers elect to skip electronic processing this year, coupons can be collected at Farmers Markets and then mailed to our processing center for redemption and processing. Please reach out to the MDA and we can mail you the required forms.
- This year, Farmers will NOT have an option to deposit the coupons into your bank - you must use one of the redemption options mentioned above.
For any assistance in creating your online account, downloading the TPS RapidFMNP mobile app, or connecting your bank account please contact RP Solutions directly at 607-252-4866 or by email at fmnp@rpsolutions.com.
Get to know the FMNP team at the MDA
Emily Mehr has been with the MDA and coordinating the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program since 2020. Supporting local agriculture has been a passion of Emily’s for 15+ years. Prior to joining the MDA, she was involved in a variety of ag-centered roles relating to farm to school, school gardens, CSA farms, and MN farmers’ markets. In addition to FMNP, she manages the agency’s Farm to School, Urban Agriculture, and Good Food Access Program grants.
Christina Iliev has been in state service since 2011 years and at the MDA since 2016. She works as the Commodity Council Coordinator and Assistant Program Coordinator for the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. In this capacity, she is responsible for the administrative oversight of all 13 commodity councils in the state as well as leading specific elements of the FMNP pertaining to participating farmers and markets.
