(P19-53-26) Double Up Food Bucks Heartland: Results From a Five-Year Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) Grant

Objectives: Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) Heartland provides a 1:1 match (up to $25 per day) for fresh produce to SNAP recipients in Kansas and Missouri. This 5-year study evaluates program impacts on dietary intake, food security, the local agricultural economy, and retail operations.

Methods: A 2020 to 2025 mixed-methods evaluation involved 1,589 SNAP recipient surveys, surveys of 301 vendors, 98 market managers and 88 store managers, and 770 environmental scans. Stratified two-stage random sampling ensured urban and rural representation.  Dietary intake was measured using the NHANES Dietary Screener Questionnaire, and food security via the USDA Six-Item Short Form.

Results: The SNAP recipient survey (80% female, 59% white, average age 48 years) showed  67% of respondents used DUFB. Most survey respondents reported they had been receiving SNAP benefits for more than one year. While 85% of DUFB users ate more produce as a direct result of program participation, daily intake (2.6 cups per day) remains significantly below federal guidelines. Awareness is the primary barrier for non-users (59%), though 97% intend to participate. Food insecurity is severe, affecting 42% of DUFB customers and 60% of non-users, with respondents skipping meals an average of 7 days monthly. Roughly half reported fair or poor health. Farmers market vendors and managers across both retail settings unanimously recommend the program, reporting that it builds a stronger market, increases vendor revenue, and helps SNAP customers "stretch their dollar" to afford more fresh produce. Despite this success, stakeholders advocate for digital modernization to reduce heavy administrative burdens and expressed a desire for more community-wide advertising to bridge persistent awareness gaps.

Conclusions: DUFB is vital for improving SNAP diet quality and food security. While the program effectively reduces reliance on processed foods, further intervention is required to meet federal nutrition standards. To ensure sustainability and eliminate administrative burdens, a digital overhaul is needed to replace inefficient manual tracking systems.

Funding Sources: This program was funded in part by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.