ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Flower City Produce faces permanent disqualification from a food voucher program at the Public Market, raising concerns about access to fresh food in a neighborhood already described as a food desert.
Facing Permanent Disqualification
“I think people are going to instantly suffer from this decision that the state is making directly,” Sam Lentine Jr. said, the family that owns Flower City Produce.
The state sent a letter to Flower City Produce, saying the business violated rules for one of its food voucher programs and faces permanent disqualification from the FreshConnect program. The letter listed five violations including the fact that the state considers Flower City Produce a grocery store, making it ineligible because it operates inside a building rather than at a table under a shelter.
FCC Notice of Non-Compliance_Flower City Produce 9.3.26Download“It kind of baffles us they would make this decision in this economic climate where people are having a tough time feeding their families,” Lentine said.
Lentine said the move is a drastic cut to a partner in the community. His family owns Flower City Produce, which opened five years ago.
“It kind of just shows that they see us as a cost and not a benefit to the community,” Lentine said.
The mayor’s letter
Chief Investigative Reporter Berkeley Brean obtained a letter from the mayor to the state, asking for reconsideration. The mayor called Flower City Produce a “critical component” and a “market vendor” and described the state’s decision as a “disservice to the community.”
Mayor EvansDownload“Them not being able to take the FreshConnect coupons would be a hardship for this area,” Dr. Rev. Donald Stevens of Helping Hand Missionary Baptist Church said. Pastor Stevens says many of his congregants buy their fresh food at Flower City Produce.
A food desert map shows that while the area around the Public Market is fine, the surrounding neighborhoods lack access to fresh food.
“We’re here. We’re in this area. We’re accomplishing their main goals of feeding people that are impoverished, they’re trying to make their dollar stretch, giving them nutrient-dense foods, supporting local farmers, driving traffic to the market. We’re accomplishing all the program goals,” Lentine said. “It’s a great program,” Lentine said. “But when they come in here and drastically cut it and limits people’s access to fresh healthy food it’s kind of a head scratcher because you just want to think — if you’re trying to accomplish this why come in with an axe and eliminate one of your best partners in the program?” Lentine said.
Flower City Produce has appealed and is still accepting the vouchers for now, but it faces a permanent ban.
The state response
The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets released this statement:
“The Department of Agriculture and Markets has been working with Flower City Produce to provide guidance on the appropriate use of the State’s FreshConnect program and benefits. To be eligible to participate in the FreshConnect Checks Program, vendors must sell SNAP-eligible foods at a farmers’ market or farm stands in New York State. As stewards of taxpayer dollars, the State is responsible for ensuring the integrity of the program and that it is benefiting our farmers, as well as our consumers, at farmers’ markets and farm stand establishments. The Department encourages Flower City Produce to accept FreshConnect checks at its Rochester Public Market farmers’ market stall during appropriate farmers’ market times and will continue to work with the business to ensure that they can use the program in the proper manner.”
The letter sent to Flower City Produce is the only one the state issued in Rochester this year. The department of agriculture issued three others upstate.
A third of families in Rochester and one out of every two children live below the poverty line.
New York State says Flower City Produce faces permanent FreshConnect disqualification WHEC.com.
Hence then, the article about new york state says flower city produce faces permanent freshconnect disqualification was published today ( ) and is available on News10NBC ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( New York State says Flower City Produce faces permanent FreshConnect disqualification )
Also on site :
- Noah Wyle Says Eddie Murphy Told Him to ‘F— Off’ When He Was 9 Years Old, So ‘The Pitt’ Star Always Signs Autographs for Kids Now
- Nelly Recalls Taylor Swift Flying Him Out to Perform at Her Houston Show for $50,000: ‘I Would’ve Did It for Free’
- I’ve Covered TV for 10 Years — These Are the 11 Shows I’m Most Excited for in November 2026