DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey last week encouraged Iowa fruit and vegetable growers interested in accepting checks from the Women, Infants, and Children and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Programs to enroll in a 2010 training course.

Growers must complete a training course before they can accept the checks.

“These programs help to provide fresh, nutritious, unprepared, locally grown fruits, vegetables and herbs from farmers markets and farmstands to nutritionally at-risk women, infants, children and low-income seniors,” Northey said.

In addition to the WIC and Senior FMNP, this year there is a WIC Cash Value Voucher program that will allow certified vendors to redeem some of the $2.2 million dollars in the new funds available to qualified families in the state.

Program overview

The FMNP increases the domestic consumption of agricultural commodities by giving participants access to farmers markets and farmstands, Northey said.

The WIC/Senior FMNP and WIC Cash Value Voucher training sessions will be offered via the Iowa Communications Network. There is no cost to attend. Seating is limited at each site, so registration is required.

The dates, times and classroom sites for vendor training that are within the Farm News coverage area include:

• Feb. 19: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the auditorium at the at the Department of Agriculture, Wallace Building, 502 East 9th St., in Des Moines for the voucher training session.

An Iowa Farmers Market Workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 20.

Come to the training session on Friday and attend the workshop on Saturday. Visit www.iafarmersmarkets.org for more information.

March 25 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

• Belmond: In the Christ Room at the Belmond Public Library, 440 East Main Street.

• Boone: At Boone High School, 500 7th Street, Room 154.

• Cherokee: At Washington High School, 600 West Bluff Street, Armory Building, fiber optic room.

• Fort Dodge: At Prairie Lakes Area Education Agency, One Triton Circle, Library Building, Room 204.

• Marshalltown: At the Area Education Agency, 909 South 12th Street, ICN room.

• MilfordOkoboji High School, 901 H Avenue, Room 102

• Orange City: At the Orange City Public Library, 112 Albany Avenue SE, Rieckhoff Room.

• Sioux City: At the Sioux City Public Library, 529 Pierce Street, ICN room.

• Urbandale: At the Urbandale Public Library, 3520 86th Street, ICN room.

April 6 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

• Des Moines: At the Department of Workforce Development, 1000 East Grand Ave. (East of IDALS) Sign in with receptionist.

• Emmetsburg: At the Iowa Lakes Community College, 3200 College Dr., Arthur & Audrey Smith Wellness Center, Room 818.

• Ida Grove: At the Ida Grove Senior High School, 900 John Montgomery Drive, ICN room.

• Marshalltown: At the Area Education Agency, 909 S 12th Street, ICN room.

April 14 from 10 a.m. to noon

• Algona: At the Algona High School, 600 S Hale, Room 86.

• Harlan: At the Harlan High School, 2102 Durant, Room 123.

• Iowa Falls: At the Iowa Falls National Guard Armory, 217 Georgetown Road, ICN room.

• Mason City: At North Iowa Area Community College, 500 College Drive, Activity Center, Room 106.

• Rockwell City: At the Rockwell City-Lytton High School, 1000 W Tonawanda Avenue, Room 13.

• Storm Lake: At Buena Vista University, 610 West 4th Street, Information Technology Center, Room 7A.