Click here for list of EBT Farmers' Markets for 2008
Farmers' Market Wireless EBT Program
In 1999, New York State egan to its conversion from paper food stamps to Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT), an electronic debit card system. This new system had the unfortunate effect of locking open air farmers' markets out of the food stamp program, preventing food stamp recipients from using their benefits to purchase fresh, local foods direct from farmers at farmers' markets.
Beginning in 2001, the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets and the Farmers' Market Federation of New York partnered for a pilot project to test wireless handheld EBT terminals for use in open air farmers' markets. The pilot proved that the wireless technology, although in its infancy, was effective in capturing food stamp sales at farmers' markets in urban settings. The pilot also documented the need for farmers to accept food stamp benefits at farmers' markets, due to customer demand for their products.
As demand for wireless service grew and as the technology evolved, the farmers' market wireless EBT project continued to expand to new cities and more farmers. In 2005, the pilot changed focus from providing terminal access to individual farmers to providing terminal access to market managers. Under this new paradigm, markets are authorized under FNS to be food stamp agents. They are able to "sell" EBT tokens (specially designed wooden tokens) that can be used with any vendor in the market selling food stamp eligible products. Farmers are able to accept the tokens, same as cash, but with no change back, and then redeem them with the market manager at day's end.
Under the Farmers' Market Wireless EBT Program, market managers are provided, free of charge, with a wireless EBT terminal; 1000 serialized, market-specific EBT wooden tokens; EBT logs, a vinyl banner to display at the EBT sales booth, "We Gladly Accept EBT Token" signage for farmer booths, as well as training and technical assistance.
In addition, a media kit, with promotional materials in both English and Spanish, is distributed to help each market promote the availability of the EBT terminal in their market. The media kit includes a promotional poster, press releases, a series of print ads, a consumer brochure and instructions in the most effective means in using the kit. Click here to view the media kit.
To participate in the program, market managers must complete a Farmers Market EBT Participation Agreement. Click for a copy of the Farmers Market EBT Participation Agreement and the Farmers and Vendors EBT Project Application/Agreement.
Now, farmers markets can choose to accept debit and credit transactions on their market’s wireless EBT terminals. Using a separate token from the EBT program, the debit and credit side offers increased sales potential for participating farmers. Click here for copies of the debit and credit tokens and the debit and credit token logs.
Humpty Dumpty Institute has funded a new program that ties a coupon program to EBT benefit usage at farmers markets. The NY Fresh Checks, is a $5 coupon incentive that will help to drive food stamp customers to upstate farmers markets participating in the NYS Farmers Market Wireless EBT Program using a central terminal. The program allows markets to issue a NY Fresh Check to every customer who purchases a minimum of $5 in EBT tokens each market day, thereby increasing their purchasing power to shop at the farmers market. The customer is allowed only one NY Fresh Check per market day, but is encouraged to come back to the market week after week to earn additional NY Fresh Checks each market day.
The goal of the program is to increase the demand for locally grown fresh foods at farmers markets among food stamp customers, increase the usage of food stamp benefits at farmers markets and change dietary habits of food stamp customers to include more fresh fruits and vegetables from local growers by helping to change shopping habits over time.
To participate in the program, a NY Fresh Check Participation Agreement is available here, along with Manager Instructions for participating in the program, Issuance Logs, and Redemption forms for participating farmers.
For more information on New York's Farmers' Market Wireless EBT Program contact Diane Eggert at (315) 637-4690.
