Produce for the people: How farmer's markets and produce stands are changing nutrition environments in California's Central Valley

The Central California Regional Obesity Prevention Program (CCROPP), funded by The California Endowment, is a partnership between public health departments and community-based organizations in California's Central Valley. The program was formed to reduce barriers to healthy food and physical activity opportunities in target communities, where obesity rates have been rapidly increasing in both children and adults. This panel will highlight the work of CCROPP grantees to bring farmer's markets and produce stands to low-income Central Valley communities, in an effort to improve the nutrition environment and reduce the prevalence of obesity.

Residents of low-income neighborhoods have historically lacked adequate access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Farmer's markets and produce stands are becoming an increasingly desirable means of bringing local produce to area residents at an affordable price. In the Central Valley, a region of year-round agricultural bounty but also extreme poverty, CCROPP has worked to install or enhance farmer's markets and produce stands as part of a plan to improve food access, promote healthy eating, and reduce obesity rates in the region. The grantees of CCROPP will disseminate their successes, challenges and lessons learned to a broad public health audience.