May 2021 - 16

FARM MARKET & AGRITOURISM
SNAP opportunities for your market expanded
BRIAN MOYER
Penn State Extension
bfm3@psu.edu
The Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly
the Food Stamp Program, is the
nation's largest nutrition assistance
program. Over the pandemic, the
federal government has expanded the
benefit amounts to help the growing
number of people who need them to
provide fresh fruits and vegetables
for their families. In November 2020,
$7.8 billion was issued, which is nearly
double the amount from the same time
the previous year.
In conversations I've had with farmers'
market managers, they shared with me
that their SNAP redemption numbers
for 2020 were double from previous
years. In some cases, over 100% higher.
Perhaps your market has tried in
past years to become a SNAP vendor
but found it to be too rigorous and,
perhaps, too expensive. There have
been changes to the program that,
hopefully, markets will be able to
(www.marketlink.org) is a program
of the National Association of Farmers
Market Nutrition Programs (NAFMNP)
that assists farmers and markets with
accepting SNAP. The program provides
a free Bluetooth SNAP/EBT card reader
to use with any smart device and 1-year
free use of the point-of-sale app for
processing payments.
Some states also have a statewide
matching program, sometimes known
as a " double bucks " program, where
the SNAP recipient can receive twice
the value of their SNAP benefits,
which allows them to purchase more.
To apply to accept SNAP benefits at
your farm stand or farmers market,
you will need to get a USDA account
and fill out an application online.
Complete your application online
take advantage of and become a SNAP
retailer, which can benefit not only
your business but also members of
your community who need them. For
example, a farmers' market or farm
stand used to have to apply under the
category of " grocery, " which meant
there was a lot of information requested
that didn't apply to them. Now, there
are specific categories for " farmers'
market " or " direct marketing " farmers.
Check with your state agencies to see
if there is an equipment program. Here
in Pennsylvania, our Department of
Human Services manages free wireless
equipment through a grant from the
USDA Food and Nutrition Service.
Check the map at www.fns.usda.gov/
snap/state-directory and click on your
state. It will show you which agency
manages a program and their contact
information.
There is a national equipment
program as well. MarketLink
at www.fns.usda.gov/snap/farmerproducer.
You can also request a paper
application by calling the toll-free
telephone number at 1-877-823-4369.
Since the beginning of the
pandemic, our markets have seen an
increase in sales and new customers
and reliance on a more local food
system. Accepting SNAP benefits at
our markets is not only good for our
business, but it's also good for our
communities. VGN
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May 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2021
