Federal Funding Issue Causes Delay, Reduction in Centre County Farmers’ Market Voucher Program

A hold-up of federal funding will delay distribution of farmers’ market vouchers for seniors and reduce the number of vouchers available in Centre County this summer.

The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program run by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture “has run into delays as federal funding continues to undergo reappropriations,” according to a release from Centre County Government on Thursday.

Distribution of the vouchers, which are made available each summer to residents 60 or older who meet income eligibility guidelines, was scheduled to begin Monday, June 2 at the Willowbank Building in Bellefonte and designated locations throughout the county but has now been delayed until a date to be determined.

Centre County’s Office of Aging will be receiving only about 74% of the vouchers requested as a result of the funding issue, according to the release.

Other Pennsylvania counties have reported similar reductions in vouchers, according to multiple reports.

A memo sent by Caryn Long Earl, director of the state agriculture department’s Bureau of Food Assistance, detailed the cause of the delay in delivery of the vouchers. It explained that “funding for the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program was approved in mid-March of 2025, though there was little additional guidance or timelines regarding the release of funds,” according to the county.

This year’s program is expected to provide eligible seniors with $25 in vouchers (five $5 vouchers) that can be used to purchase produce grown in Pennsylvania at participating markets. To receive the vouchers in Centre County, individuals must be residents of the county and be 60 years old by Dec. 31. Applications are typically accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

An update on the program will be provided during the Centre County Board of Commissioners meeting at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 3, in the Willowbank Building. The meeting can be viewed on C-NET channel 7 or via livestream on C-NET’s YouTube channel.

Questions concerning the voucher program in Centre County can be directed to the Office of Aging at 814-355-6716.