FARMERS’ MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAM WPPM #800-10 Subject: Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program Item: Conflict of Interest: Local Agencies and Farmers
Revised California WIC Policy and Procedure Manual Page 1 of 2 July 18, 2025 PURPOSE: To define conflict of interest (COI) between the local agency (LA) and WIC-authorized farmers or farmers’ markets. POLICY: I. COI Requirements A. LAs must: 1. Establish a written COI policy and, through education and supervision of its staff, ensure that no COI exists between the LA and any WIC-authorized farmer or farmer’s market. 2. Make the LA written COI policy available to CDPH/WIC upon request and in a timely manner. II. Program Integrity A. LA staff must: 1. Complete a California WIC Program Employee Conflict of Interest Statement upon employment, when annual COI training is completed, and if there are any changes to an existing statement. 2. Make the completed COI statement for each LA staff member available to CDPH/WIC upon request and in a timely manner. PROCEDURES: I. At a minimum, the LA written COI policy must: A. Require that LA staff be trained to refrain from directing or recommending that a WIC participant choose or avoid a specific WIC-authorized farmer or farmer’s market to redeem food benefits. B. Require that LA staff be educated against knowingly making a decision intended to benefit or to disadvantage a specific WIC-authorized farmer or farmer’s market. C. Prohibit LA staff from engaging in any promotion with or receiving gifts, financial benefits, gratuities, discounts, or other incentives from a WIC- authorized farmer or farmer’s market. D. Prohibit LA staff from accepting donated or discounted WIC-authorized foods from WIC-authorized farmers or farmers’ markets, or other outside entities for personal use and/or distribution to participants.
FARMERS’ MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAM WPPM #800-10 Subject: Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program Item: Conflict of Interest: Local Agencies and Farmers
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Revised July 18, 2025 California WIC Policy and Procedure Manual
E. Prohibit an owner or spouse of an owner of a WIC-authorized farmer’s market from being employed concurrently by a LA. II. All COI issues or complaints must be reported directly to CDPH/WIC at 1-800-852-5770. III. If COI policy and procedures, as defined above, are followed, LAs are permitted to issue FMNP benefits at WIC-authorized farmers’ markets for the sole purpose of promoting their use. AUTHORITY: 7 CFR 248.10(a)(7) RESOURCE: California WIC Program Employee Conflict of Interest Statement