Low-income Utahns will have more opportunities to purchase farm-fresh food this summer.

Six farmers markets have signed on to accept Horizon cards, allowing families to use their public assistance allowance to purchase food directly from growers.

The need for public assistance continues to grow in the stalled economy, said Gina Cornia, of Utahns Against Hunger. Utah spent $35 million in grocery aid in April, she said, and even then, benefits are modest, about $1.36 per person, per meal.

In the Midvalley area, the Murray Park Farmers' Market and Wasatch Front Farmers' Market at Wheeler Farm will accept food assistance Horizon cards in exchange for produce.

"If you can shop around and find good produce prices, I think most people would rather support a local farmer," Cornia said.

The organization, dedicated to ending hunger in Utah, was able to provide mini-grants of about $1,300 to the markets, which will cover startup costs associated with accepting Horizon cards. Markets will get electronic debit machines that can access their assistance account.

Shoppers pick a dollar amount, swipe their card and then receive wooden tokens for the desired amount. Tokens can be used like cash, and farmers return them at market closing for cash. The tokens may only be used for food items, Cornia said.

For years, farmers markets have been stereotyped as high-end and high-priced venues out of the reach to those on a budget. But with more urban farmers participating at markets, Cornia believes eating locally grown food is affordable for everyone. Prices are often equal or less than those at supermarkets, and having more choice in the food their families eat is empowering for shoppers counting their pennies, she said.

Many growers agree.

"Those products should be available to everyone," said Maryann Alston of the Wasatch Front Farmers' Market. Alston runs a 1-acre urban farm in Taylorsville, and is a passionate advocate for the local food movement.

Locally grown food means a smaller carbon footprint, Alston said, and the majority of small farmers avoid pesticides and chemical fertilizers. The food is often organic, but not certified so, Alston said, because of the high cost of certifying. In addition to food available for purchase, markets also offer a plethora of classes on how to use produce, as well as how to grow your own.

"We're really trying to make the circle happen," Alston said.

kdrake@sltrib.com

Twitter: @Katie_Drake Eat your vegetables

Two markets in the Midvalley area will now be accepting food assistance Horizon cards. To learn if you qualify for assistance, visit uah.org.

Murray Park Farmers' Market • 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, July 29 through Oct. 29, Murray Park, 200 E. 5200 South

Wasatch Front Farmers' Market • 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays, June 12 through September, Wheeler Farm, 6351 S. 900 East