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Spatial and Temporal Variation in the Value of the Women, Infants, and Children Program’s Fruit and Vegetable Voucher

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  • Metin Çakır
  • Timothy K M Beatty
  • Michael A Boland
  • Timothy A Park
  • Samantha Snyder
  • Yanghao Wang

Abstract

Increasing the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables among children and low-income households is a public health policy priority in the United States. We investigate temporal and spatial price patterns for fresh fruits and vegetables to evaluate the extent to which the value of the fruit and vegetable Cash-Value-Voucher (CVV) of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) may be affected by unequal price levels and changes in price levels across the United States. Our findings show that price differences over space and time have real and consequential impacts on the purchasing power of the CVV. A WIC Program participant in the highest-cost Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) can buy significantly fewer fruits and vegetables than a participant who receives the same benefit in the lowest-cost MSA. Further, we find that the value of the CVV has substantially declined across all MSAs since 2009. We discuss the nutritional implications of the variation in the value of the CVV and evaluate potential mechanisms that could be implemented to maintain equal CVV benefits across time and space.

Suggested Citation

  • Metin Çakır & Timothy K M Beatty & Michael A Boland & Timothy A Park & Samantha Snyder & Yanghao Wang, 2018. "Spatial and Temporal Variation in the Value of the Women, Infants, and Children Program’s Fruit and Vegetable Voucher," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 100(3), pages 691-706.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:ajagec:v:100:y:2018:i:3:p:691-706.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Li, Qingxiao & Cakir, Metin, 2020. "Thrifty Food Plan Panel Price Index and the Real Value of SNAP Benefits," 2020 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, Kansas City, Missouri 304201, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    2. Cakir, Metin & Beatty, Timothy & Park, Timothy A., 2018. "Effects of California Drought on Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Prices over Time and across Space," 2018 Annual Meeting, August 5-7, Washington, D.C. 273825, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    3. Okrent, Abigail & Sweitzer, Megan D. & Zhen, Chen & Byrne, Anne T. & Muth, Mary K., 2023. "Getting the Price Right: Analyzing and Comparing Food Prices Over Time and Space," 2023 Annual Meeting, July 23-25, Washington D.C. 335637, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    4. Çakir, Metin & Arita, Shawn & Cooper, Joseph C. & Dong, Xiao & Nemec Boehm, Rebecca L. & Perez Castaño, Ana Melissa M., 2023. "Concentration in Food Retailing, Prices, and Inflation," 2023 Annual Meeting, July 23-25, Washington D.C. 335985, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    5. Qingxiao Li & Metin Çakır, 2024. "Estimating SNAP purchasing power and its effect on participation," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 106(2), pages 779-804, March.
    6. Alyssa J. Moran & Yuxuan Gu & Sasha Clynes & Attia Goheer & Christina A. Roberto & Anne Palmer, 2020. "Associations between Governmental Policies to Improve the Nutritional Quality of Supermarket Purchases and Individual, Retailer, and Community Health Outcomes: An Integrative Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-23, October.
    7. Davis, George C. & You, Wen & Yang, Yanliang, 2020. "Are SNAP benefits adequate? A geographical and food expenditure decomposition," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    8. Christensen, Garret & Bronchetti, Erin Todd, 2020. "Local food prices and the purchasing power of SNAP benefits," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).

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