Low-income families can use their food assistance benefits to buy fresh, nutritious local foods at more Kentucky farmers markets than ever before, according to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.
Up to 225 farmers markets and individual producers now use Electronic Benefit Transfer equipment – a more than tenfold increase from 21 markets in 2010. The EBT equipment enables customers to buy foods at farmers markets with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits and to pay with debit or credit cards. (SNAP benefits were formerly known as food stamps.)
Sharon Spencer, the department’s farmers market specialist, began promoting the SNAP program to Kentucky markets in 2013. Spencer worked with MarketLink, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, the National Association of Farmers Market Nutrition Programs and WorldPay to give markets and vendors the opportunity to sign up for free EBT equipment at the Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable Conference in January. Subsequent signups and trainings were offered.
“Our, farmers markets and producers understand the need for low-income families to have access to fresh, healthy, locally grown food,” Spencer said. “I’m excited to see the difference this will make for Kentucky farmers and Kentucky families.”
Nationwide, farmers markets redeemed $16.6 million in SNAP benefits last year, compared with $4.2 million five years ago.
To find a Kentucky farmers market, visit www.kyagr.com or www.kyproud.com. For more information about Kentucky farmers markets, contact Spencer at 502-782-4127 or sharon.spencer@ky.gov.
From Kentucky Department of Agriculture