Free point of sale devices for accepting SNAP benefit payments delayed

      Posted On: March 30, 2018

At the March 6 and 7, 2018 Michigan Farmers Market Association Conference, Amanda Shreve the newly appointed Executive Director of the Michigan Farmers Market Association gave a presentation on the status of funding for free, wireless point of sale devices for farmers markets to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits (a.k.a. Bridge Cards) as a form of payment. Shreve reported that during the month of December 2017, 1.3 million people in Michigan received $162 million in SNAP benefit payments. This population is a key customer base for many farmers market vendors across the state. Michigan is ranked fourth nationally in the dollar value of SNAP benefits spent in 164 farmers markets statewide. Read more…