April 28, 2026 (Washington, D.C.) — A newly released report of DC Greens’ Produce Rx program highlights the continued impact that produce prescription interventions have on improving diet quality and health outcomes while reducing food access barriers for Medicaid-enrolled residents in D.C. The 2025–2026 Adult Produce Rx Annual Report, published this week by DC Greens, reinforces growing evidence that Food Is Medicine interventions like produce prescriptions improve health outcomes and increase economic flexibility among Medicaid‑enrolled patients.

Produce Rx is DC Greens’ award-winning Food Is Medicine intervention that allows health care providers to prescribe fresh fruits and vegetables to DC Medicaid and DC Health Alliance patients diagnosed with diet-related chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. Launched in 2012, Produce Rx was the first program of its kind in Washington, D.C. and has grown to enroll more than 1,000 participants annually through partnerships with 17 community health centers across all eight wards.

“Our report demonstrates both the positive economic and health outcomes of the produce prescription program on our participants,” says DC Greens Food Is Medicine Manager and report co-author, Luisa Furstenberg-Beckman. “These programs are a crucial intervention to improving people’s health and well-being and should be a standard part of health care delivery.”

The report highlights data from the program’s most recent adult cohort, referred to as the “Broccoli Cohort,” which enrolled 449 households between October 2024 and January 2025, reaching a total of 1,111 individuals. Participants received $80–$120 per month for one year via a preloaded produce prescription card, which could be used at hundreds of grocery retail locations across D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.

Report data from produce prescription card utilization, participant surveys, and focus groups demonstrate the program’s effectiveness as a health care–linked nutrition intervention:

• High engagement and utilization: Ninety-four percent of participants used their produce prescription benefit at least once, and the overall redemption rate reached 68%, with more than $388,000 spent on fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Improved diet and greater access: Among survey respondents, 92% reported eating more fruits and vegetables during the program, and 85% said their household tried new produce they had not previously purchased.
• Positive health outcomes: Eighty-five percent of respondents reported feeling healthier than when they enrolled, and 94% said their health care provider noted improvements in their health while participating in Produce Rx.
• Reduced financial strain: Nearly four out of five participants (79%) reported that produce prescriptions freed up household resources for other essential needs.

While the report acknowledges limitations, including the absence of biometric data and health care cost analysis for this cohort, the findings align closely with national research on produce prescription programs.

“Programs like Produce Rx can support better health while addressing food access challenges in D.C.,” says Carolina Moppett, Produce Rx coordinator for DC Greens and fellow report co-author. “We will continue advocating for our participants until this program is embedded directly into our health care system, ensuring every eligible patient can access fresh, healthy produce.”

Click below to access the full report.