May 3, 2024
As the cost of producing food increases, and food prices rise for consumers, food assistance programs are becoming more and more important. For Vermont farmers interested in helping address food insecurity in their communities, there are several ways to help. One of the best ways is to become authorized to accept SNAP benefits as a form of payment at your farm, which can enable more community members to afford your food, while ensuring your farm is paid fully. It’s a wonderful way to expand your customer base, make more connections in your community, and increase food security. NOFA-VT can provide technical assistance and additional programs to help your farm reach more members of the community while remaining financially viable.
What is SNAP?
SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (3SquaresVT in Vermont), is available for all people who qualify based on income and other eligibility requirements. The program provides nearly 70,000 Vermonters with money on an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card, which works like a debit card, to spend on food. More information about how people can access SNAP in Vermont can be found at the Vermont Food Help website.
Many grocery and convenience stores, co-ops, and even farmers markets and farm stands can become authorized by the US Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS) to accept SNAP benefits as payment. There are a few specific considerations for farms looking to get SNAP authorized.
How can my farm accept SNAP?
- Determine whether your farm is eligible to accept SNAP. As long as more than 50% of your farm’s total gross retail sales (including food and non-food merchandise) comes from the sale of eligible staple foods (meat, poultry, fish, bread, cereal, vegetables, fruits, and dairy products), then your farm is eligible! However, it is also important to consider the contexts in which you may be accepting SNAP benefits. There are specific rules about how farms can accept SNAP for CSA shares and any farm stands that accept SNAP benefits must be fully staffed.
- Apply for SNAP authorization with the USDA. A step-by-step guide to help you through the application process can be found here: Guidebook for Vermont Farmers to Accept SNAP. Additionally, MarketLink is an organization that can provide technical assistance during the application process. After you apply, USDA-FNS has 45 days to determine whether you will be authorized. If you are authorized, FNS will send you a packet of important materials and rules for accepting SNAP. Make sure to keep these documents on file!
- Choose an EBT processing machine. Processing SNAP payments is the same as processing credit or debit card sales, but it does require an authorized point of sale (POS) device. There are lots of options for SNAP compatible POS devices, including app-based, wireless, and wired POS machines. Most of these allow you to accept credit and debit cards through the same device. This document provides an overview of options to help determine which POS might suit your farm’s needs.
What other programs are available to support my farm and increase financial accessibility for my community?
Farm Stand Match: Farm stands that accept SNAP benefits can also participate in the Farm Stand Match Program. With this program, customers using SNAP/3SquaresVT will receive a 50% discount on fruits, vegetables, culinary herbs, and culinary plant seeds and starts when they use SNAP/3SquaresVT benefits at your farm stand. NOFA-VT then reimburses your farm for the discounted amount.
Crop Cash: Even if your farm is not authorized to accept SNAP benefits, your local farmers market might be! Most SNAP-authorized farmers markets in Vermont also offer Crop Cash, which increases customers’ 3SquaresVT/SNAP benefits to buy produce at farmers markets. If you sell produce at a farmers market, check with your market manager to learn about how to accept Crop Cash coupons as payment.
Farm Share: The Farm Share Program offers a 25-75% discount on CSA shares for Vermonters in need of financial assistance. As a part of this program, your farm raises funds to cover about 25% of the cost of the supported shares, typically through your current CSA shareholders and/or local businesses, organizations, and individuals in your community. NOFA-VT then provides the remaining 25-50% discount. Customers can use SNAP benefits to pay for their portion of the CSA share.
Please reach out to Johanna Doren (johanna@nofavt.org) with any questions about SNAP or to enroll your farm in Farm Stand Match or Farm Share.
Johanna Doren is the Local Food Access Coordinator at NOFA-VT, where she brings a background in food policy and organic agriculture. From working on small, organic diversified vegetable farms to supporting local producers through community-based non-profits, Johanna developed a passion for thinking radically and working collaboratively to build a just, equitable food system. She pursued a Master's in Food and Agriculture Law and Policy at the Vermont Law School to learn about the policies that shape our food system and is excited to work towards greater food access and sovereignty in Vermont and beyond.
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