10/02/2024 –
Some state agricultural leaders and farm groups are beginning to rethink ‘food as medicine’ programs to better connect local agricultural systems with nutrition.
Food as medicine encapsulates several federal nutrition programs, starting with school meals, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition aid . The idea of produce prescriptions and medically tailored groceries is also gaining momentum, according to some advocates.
“We think of food as medicine intervention for policy as … something that ultimately we want to be embedded into healthcare and therefore paid for by the healthcare system, and then has positive healthcare outcomes that can be measured,” said Mollie Van Lieu, vice president of nutrition and health at the International Fresh Produce Association.
Produce prescriptions specifically can be implemented as companion to traditional drugs for diet-related diseases. Individuals who have problems with food affordability could have produce delivered or a monthly allotment specifically for fruits and vegetables.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) permits some states to allow Medicaid to cover nutrition interventions like produce prescriptions. Other federal initiatives like Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program or GusNIP, which was authorized by the 2018 farm bill, support some produce prescription pilot projects…
