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Category Archives: SNAP
Legislation Update on SNAP in Farmers Markets
Stacy October 13, 2010Within a hair’s breadth of the start of the 2011 fiscal year (October 1), Congress passed a continuing resolution to extend 2010 federal spending levels through a continuing resolution that was signed by the President on September 30th. The continuing resolution funds federal programs at FY 2010 levels until December 3, 2010, when, after the…
Food & Nutrition Service Takes Steps to Streamline SNAP Procedures for Farmers Markets
Stacy February 25, 2010On February 24th, USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) headquarters issued a memo to all FNS Field Operations Directors throughout the United States, detailing new procedures for the implementation of scrip and incentive programs at farmers markets. Jeff Cohen, Director of the Benefits Redemption Division at FNS spelled out these new procedures for farmers markets SNAP retailers.
Food & Nutrition Service Takes Steps to Streamline SNAP Procedures for Farmers Markets
StacyOn February 24th, USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) headquarters issued a memo to all FNS Field Operations Directors throughout the United States, detailing new procedures for the implementation of scrip and incentive programs at farmers markets. Jeff Cohen, Director of the Benefits Redemption Division at FNS spelled out these new procedures for farmers markets SNAP retailers.
FMC Comments on Proposed $4 Million Provision for Farmers Market SNAP
Stacy February 18, 2010The Administration’s 2011 budget requests $4 million for the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to “provide point of sale terminals to all farmers’ markets nationally that cannot currently redeem SNAP benefits.” As the budget request states, ensuring farmers markets have point of sales devices will substantially increase the redemption of SNAP benefits at these outlets. In 2009, only .07% of all SNAP sales (in dollars) occurred at the fewer than 1,000 farmers markets currently accepting it. We know that we as a nation can do better. We agree with the President that “Nutrition education and human resource capacity to continue to be a key part of the SNAP to help low income households improve their nutrition levels.”
Good News in President’s Proposed 2011 USDA Budget
Stacy February 13, 2010On February 1st, President Obama issued a $3.8 trillion budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2011 on Monday, in which the White House allocates $149 billion for USDA.
years. While his proposed FY 2011 budget actually decreases the overall amount of discretionary spending available to USDA, it also prioritizes a number of new initiatives in line with the goals of the Know your Farmer, Know your Food initiative.
Good News in President's Proposed 2011 USDA Budget
StacyOn February 1st, President Obama issued a $3.8 trillion budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2011 on Monday, in which the White House allocates $149 billion for USDA.
years. While his proposed FY 2011 budget actually decreases the overall amount of discretionary spending available to USDA, it also prioritizes a number of new initiatives in line with the goals of the Know your Farmer, Know your Food initiative.
FMC and CFSC Embark on Farmers Market SNAP Research Project
Stacy January 13, 2010In September, the Farmers Market Coalition (FMC) joined forces with the Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC) to start work on the Farmers Market SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) Research Project. This project was funded by the Convergence Partnership. The purpose of the research is to develop policy and program implementation recommendations for expanding SNAP usage in farmers markets nationwide.
More Farmers Markets Accessible with EBT
Stacy April 28, 2009Farmers markets throughout the United States are growing more accessible to participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. As of the end of FY 2008, 753 Farmers markets were authorized to accept SNAP benefits nationwide, a 34 percent increase from FY 2007. While the percentage of redemptions is very little, the amount of funds going to…
