#WYMarketsMatter: Testing Two Farmers Market Voucher Strategies to Increase Food Security

Study Overview
=================
Brief Summary
-----------------
University of Wyoming (UW) and Wyoming Food for Thought Project (WFFTP) propose to collaboratively develop, pilot, and evaluate a trial on the impact of market vouchers on food security and fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption. We will (a) provide farmers market vouchers to families who are enrolled in WIC, SNAP, or free or reduced lunch and/or have incomes ≤185% of poverty line; (b) assess impacts of these supports on household food security and F&V consumption; and (c) test feasibility and impacts of vouchers valid only for F&V vs. for any foods that can be purchased with SNAP. To test the feasibility and preliminary impacts of this approach, we will enroll 30 individuals/households in this study, randomizing 10 to each of the 2 intervention arms and 10 to waitlist control. Qualifying individuals and families will be able to enroll in the study at the WFFTP Tuesday afternoon/evening market on July 30th, 2019. They will be randomized upon enrollment to one of three conditions: receiving $20 in vouchers at each of up to 4 markets ($80 total) that are good for F&V only, receiving $20 vouchers at each of up to 4 markets that are good for any foods that SNAP/EBT benefits can be used for; or delayed intervention/waitlist control (who, at the final data gathering, will receive 5 x $20 in vouchers good at the WFFTP 2019 and 2020 markets).

Official Title
-----------------
Testing Two Farmers Market Voucher Strategies to Increase Food Security

Conditions
-----------------
Food Security, Produce Consumption

Intervention / Treatment
-----------------
* Behavioral: Market vouchers


Participation Criteria
=================
Eligibility Criteria
-----------------
Inclusion Criteria: To be eligible for the intervention, a participant must be an adult aged ≥18 years old whose household is enrolled in or eligible for SNAP, free or reduced school lunch program, and/or WIC (i.e., incomes of ≤185% of poverty for household size). UW staff wills screen for eligibility by verifying a participant has an EBT card. If no card is available, participants will be asked to self-report household income and size and UW staff will use the Federal Poverty Level chart to determine the individual's eligibility. They must also self-identify as living in Casper, Wyoming. They must come in person to the market on July 30th, 2019, to enroll. Exclusion Criteria: Not meeting the criteria above.

Ages Eligible for Study
-----------------
Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
-----------------
All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
-----------------
Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
=================
How is the study designed?
-----------------

Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: With delayed intervention for control group, but those outcomes not assessed.
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Voucher intervention F&V<br>Receiving $20 in vouchers at each of up to 4 markets ($80 total) that are good for F&V only | Behavioral: Market vouchers<br>* Receiving $80 in vouchers good for fruits and vegetables or for SNAP-eligible foods at 4 out of 5 markets in late July and in August, 2019.<br>|
| Experimental: Voucher intervention SNAP<br>Receiving $20 vouchers at each of up to 4 markets that are good for any foods that SNAP/EBT benefits can be used for | Behavioral: Market vouchers<br>* Receiving $80 in vouchers good for fruits and vegetables or for SNAP-eligible foods at 4 out of 5 markets in late July and in August, 2019.<br>|
| No Intervention: Waitlist control<br>Delayed intervention/waitlist control (who, at the final data gathering, will receive 5 x $20 in vouchers good at the WFfT 2019 and 2020 markets). | |

What is the study measuring?
-----------------
Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Food security | USDA six-item short form Food Security Survey Module. They have been adapted to reflect food security in the previous 30 days (as opposed to 12 months) in order to compare food security before and during the intervention. Survey and tools available online at http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/survey-tools.aspx#.VEk0Bfl4qug | five week intervention, questions for past 30 days | 
| Fruit and vegetable consumption | The 16 relevant questions from the National Institutes of Health survey Eating at America's Table Study: Quick Food Scan. | five week intervention, questions for past 30 days | 

 Terms related to the study
=================
Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
-----------------
Farmers Markets, Vouchers