A Season of Growth: Produce Plus in 2025

This month, we kicked off the 2026 Produce Plus season — and FRESHFARM’s fifth year managing the program on behalf of DC Health. As we look back at last year’s season, we celebrate some major wins: more funding for the program from the DC Council, more participants enrolled, fewer people left on the waitlist, and more produce on the tables of neighbors who need it.

The 2025 Numbers

This past season (June–November 2025), Produce Plus approved 11,100 Washington, DC residents to receive cards with $40 a month to spend on fresh fruits and vegetables at farmers markets, farm stands, and mobile markets across the District, a 39% increase in enrollment over 2024. Together, participants redeemed over $1.2 million in Produce Plus funds, generating an estimated $2.05 million in total economic impact, with every Produce Plus dollar creating $1.70 in downstream activity according to a third-party 2025 program evaluation. Fifty-eight DC farmers markets, farm stands, and mobile markets spanning all eight wards accepted Produce Plus cards. Participants used their benefits: 58% spent at least 80% of allotted funds, and 38% spent every dollar — the highest full-utilization rate since FRESHFARM began administering the program in 2022.

Making the Case for Increased Funding

In 2024, nearly 5,000 residents were waitlisted for Produce Plus and had to be turned away due to funding limitations. FRESHFARM took that data to the DC Council and made the case for change. The result was a $600,000 funding increase for FY25. The waitlist shrank significantly from 4,717 residents to 2,035 — a 57% reduction — and the approval rate jumped from 59% to 80%.

While we’re proud of that win, we recognize that demand for the program is still high and many neighbors are still being left out. FRESHFARM continues to advocate for additional funding for Produce Plus to ensure that every District resident who wants to access the program is able.

What Participants Are Telling Us

This year, 2,598 people responded to our participant survey. Among those with diet-related chronic conditions, including 37% who report hypertension and 21% who report diabetes, consistent and affordable access to fresh produce is essential for maintaining and improving their health.

• 98% said they eat more vegetables because of Produce Plus
• 97% said they feel healthier
• 94% said they’d recommend the program to others

Respondents shared, “I can now afford more vegetables and fruit. I am able to eat healthy,” and “I eat healthier, and for me personally, financially, it is a great help.”

The Heart of the Program: Our Market Champions

FRESHFARM Market Champions are the part-time seasonal staff who help administer Produce Plus at farmers markets and farm stands, showing up week after week, building real relationships with participants.

Market Champions are the face of FRESHFARM for Produce Plus customers and are trusted members of the communities they serve. Their work is essential to the functioning of the program: they help participants navigate enrollment, find out what other programs they might be eligible for, and find the farmers markets, mobile markets, or farm stands that are closest to them and work for their schedule. And they know first-hand the impact that access to fresh fruits and vegetables can make on someone’s life. One Market Champion shared: “I am a living testimony. Come November, it will be year five that I’ve been diabetes free, no insulin, no pills. And it’s because of Produce Plus.” Another Market Champion highlights the importance of the trust they have built with customers: “We’re able to be a participant in the program as well as work with the program. That’s where that trust can come, because we can let them know that we’re going through the same thing you’re going through.”

Looking Ahead: Growing Capacity

FRESHFARM’s Food Access team, which administers the Produce Plus program, operates with ten full-time equivalent staff serving more than 15,000 customers annually. With a 39% increase in participation from 2024 to 2025, FRESHFARM was able to scale our operations to maintain the quality of the program, all without increasing staff size. However, maintaining sufficient staffing is essential to growing the program and preserving customer satisfaction and program success. FRESHFARM will continue to advocate for funding to ensure that the program remains robust and continues to serve as many District residents as possible.

The 2025 Produce Plus Evaluation Report was prepared by Sharp Insight, LLC on behalf of FRESHFARM with funding from the DC Department of Health.