Nutritional Assistance Programs

At OFMA, we believe that access to fresh, healthy, local food is a basic human right - and we acknowledge that farmers markets have a responsibility to serve community members of all income levels. To this purpose, many farmers markets in Oregon accept EBT cards (also called Oregon Trail cards) so that low-income people and families can use their SNAP benefits to make shopping at the market easier and more affordable. Farmers and food-makers benefit as well when they can serve more customers and receive more sales. Your farmers market plays an important role in facilitating this connection by being the point of sale where customers can use their EBT cards and receive tokens to spend on food with vendors at the market.

EBT/SNAP

Starting a SNAP program at your farmers market involves operational planning and making key financial decisions. The following guide will walk you through all the considerations and systems needed to put your market in place for success.

  • Learn the basics about SNAP & EBT so you and your market can get setup to use it.

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  • To accept EBT, credit, and debit cards farmers markets need to have a wireless point-of-sale (POS) machine that processes the sales transactions, depositing the funds from the sale into a market’s bank account. Learn more to get that setup.

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  • Need SNAP/EBT point-of-sale equipment for your market? MarketLink can help make it more affordable. Find out more.

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  • Wonder what a market day will look like if you decide to take on a SNAP program? There are a number of details that should be taken into consideration. Although every market performs differently, here’s an overview of a typical day’s responsibilities, and those ongoing.

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  • Once your market is approved to accept SNAP benefits, you must teach your staff, volunteers, and vendors the federal regulations guiding SNAP usage. Learn more here.

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  • What do you do if your EBT machine is down but you still want to process payments? Here is our guide.

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  • Once you can accept EBT cards at your farmers market, you need both on-site and off-site promotion to let everyone know, as well as funding to keep it going. Promotion and education are key to a successful SNAP program at your market. Learn more here.

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Read the guide but need more help getting started?

OFMA can assist with your EBT authorization application, strategies for choosing EBT equipment, and ideas for managing your SNAP program’s bookkeeping, staffing, and vendor reimbursements. Contact OFMA Programs Manager, Amanda Cross, using this short intake form so that she can learn more about your market’s needs and get in touch with you.

Double Up Food Bucks

Does your market already offer SNAP? Wonderful! Many markets in Oregon take it a step further by also offering Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB), a program administered by the Farmers Market Fund. DUFB gives SNAP customers a dollar to dollar match up to $20 every time they shop the market. This doubles the SNAP shopper’s purchasing power and it supports the market’s farmers and food-makers with additional revenue.

If your market already accepts SNAP and would like to begin offering a match as well, start by contacting Farmers Market Fund to ask how your market can apply for DUFB!

OFMA also offers some resources to help you run DUFB at your farmers markets, including vendor reimbursement forms, token tracking sheets, promotional materials, and more. You can find those resources in this folder.

Farm Direct Nutrition Program

The Oregon Farm Direct Nutrition Program (FDNP) is a state-administered USDA nutrition program that brings more than a million dollars to Oregon farmers each year. FDNP funds take the form of pre-printed checks and go to families enrolled in the WIC (Women, Infants & Children) program, and to eligible low-income seniors.

FDNP recipients receive green $4 checks to spend directly with authorized farmers who sell their own produce at farm stands and farmers’ markets. FDNP checks are specifically for locally-produced fresh fruits, vegetables and cut herbs. The checks are good from June 1st through November 30th of the current year.

Although checks are spent directly at farm booths, farmers markets play a critical role in the success of the program which brings thousands of new shoppers to Oregon markets each year.

Have More Questions About FDNP?

Apply to become a FNDP participating market and get listed in the program’s broadly promoted online directory!

Annual applications to be an FDNP market become available in April. Newly participating markets or existing markets with new managers complete a brief 30-minute phone orientation with FDNP staff. FDNP markets and farm stand locations will be listed in the shopper guide at myoregonfarm.org.

More SNAP, DUFB, and FDNP Resources

Webinar: How SNAP, FDNP, and DUFB Work for Farmers Markets and How to Apply for Free EBT Equipment (2021)

Presentation Slides: Intro to Double Up Food Bucks

Presentation Slides: How to Become a SNAP-Authorized Farmers Market