Farmers markets seeing more SNAP customers
REBECCA BARNETT | The Roanoke Times Patsy Jefferies of Roanoke (right) shops for nectarines and tomatoes at the West End Farmers Market with her granddaughter, Malia, 11, on Aug. 9. This was her first time using her EBT card to buy fresh produce at the market. Several farmers markets in the area are accepting EBT cards from SNAP (food stamp) recipients.
This is Kathy again. Lindsey had a two-fer today in the paper.
Her front-page story was an update on how area farmers markets were accommodating SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program) recipients.
Turns out there is good news.
Many markets accepting SNAP (a slightly cumbersome process involving swiping EBT cards for wooden tokens, spending those tokens at farmers’ stalls, then having the farmers turn the tokens in for money), have seen customers. At the Salem market, since launching the program July 2, the biggest check they’ve written to a farmer for SNAP tokens has been $300.
Program officials see this as a win-win: Farmers get more customers and families on limited incomes now have a way of buying local. What do you think?
Here is Lindsey’s previous story about the program.
August 17, 2011 - 1:56 PM
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What a wonderful idea!
I think it’s wonderful! Long overdue in my opinion.
This makes my heart sing!
Maybe I’m one of few people who hadn’t seen the documentary Food, Inc. until last week on PBS… it’s wonderful to see examples of programs working towards “solutions” rather than focusing on “problems”… thanks for educating us!
I think it’s awesome! I actually think it’s brilliant, gives the recipient more “bang for the buck!” And they get really good, fresh food, and the farmer gets a sale. In Salem, where I live and go to the farmer’s market, they also take credit cards and give you a different wooden token. So people w/o cash can buy produce and again, the farmer gets a sale. I’ve spoken w/ a couple of my friends there who are vendors, and they like it, say it works smoothly…
I’m really glad that this is catching on! The Roanoke Market is short walk from the downtown bus station, so it makes it much more convenient for people who want good fresh food, yet lack a car, to get it.
Dennis, the Roanoke Farmer’s Market also give you tokens in $5 increments. There’s a table set up at the market entrance at Campbell Ave., where you can swipe your card and get tokens. We used them this past Saturday, when we had no cash. It worked great! The tokens are good for the rest of the year, so what you don’t use on the day of purchase, can be used on your next visit.