Fresh Food and the Law

Not totally Jewish-related, but all farmer's markets in New York will now accept WIC. WIC, which stands for the Women, Infants and Children program, defines its mission as providing grants "for supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five who are found to be at nutritional risk."

New York is the first state in the nation to make the change. Previously, recipients could only put $20 per year toward farmer's markets.

I'm all about the farmer's markets -- as previously discussed, the farmer's market at Steamboat Landing is one of the best things about Ithaca. But if I can't afford to shop New York's farmer's markets regularly -- and if I'm in pretty good company -- I'm not sure how anybody on WIC is going to swing it. The milk's delicious, but I mean, it's $8 a quart. At that price, you start to feel guilty for putting it in your coffee. I can barely deal as it is with Harlem prices, where organic milk goes for $5.49 for a half-gallon. Is it that much better for you? Or the cow?

The new legislation, signed in to law by David "I didn't sign up for this" Paterson, opens up a whole debate about the extent of freedom of choice to which people receiving government money are entitled. Theoretically, I'm for greater choice. But in this case, should we focus more on encouraging good nutrition and stocking supermarkets in low-income areas with fresh, affordable food, than on granting universal access to hydroponically-grown kale?