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OTTUMWA, IOWA -- Low-income seniors in Iowa may have a good reason to head to the local farmers market.

Senior can now apply for coupons to go towards buying fruits and vegetables.  Applicants will receive ten checks worth $3 each at a first come first served basis. 

Thirteen Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) will begin to destribute checks and nutritional information starting in June. A combination of state and federal funds will be used to make benefits available to more than 20,000 eligible seniors this year.

Noelle Bales, who works for the Seneca Area Agency on Aging, says the coupons fly out the door.

“There's a lot of folks who really use them,” Bales said.  “We get a lot of phone calls before even we have the information."

The coupons can only be used between June 1 and October 31 2010.  You must be 60-years-old and meet the household income requirements to apply for the coupons.

If you are single, your household income cannot exceed $20,036.  For a married couple the amount cannot be more than $26,955.

The coupons help promote a healthier lifestyle for older Iowans. 

"It's important for seniors to get all the fruits and vegetables and a balanced diet according to the (food) pyramid.  It's important for those folks especially to get that especially as their immune systems are getting weaker and to remain healthy and to remain active."