Maryland Farms and Families Act Provides Matching Funds at Farmers Markets

      Posted On: November 3, 2017

“Maryland has the opportunity to move forward on a win-win program that directly invests in farmers throughout the state and helps low-income families purchase local and farm-fresh food. But we need Gov. Larry Hogan’s support to ensure the program receives funding.

The Maryland Farms and Families Act (SB 278, HB 586) passed unanimously through the General Assembly and was signed into law by Gov. Hogan in May. The new law creates a grant program in the Maryland Department of Agriculture that would match farmers market purchases made with federal nutrition benefits, such as SNAP (food stamps).

The goal is to bring additional revenue to local farmers and fresh produce to food-insecure families. Now that our state has wisely chosen to support this program, it’s time for decision-makers to allocate the funds necessary for the grant program to flourish in 2018. Farmers market matching programs are a modest and worthy investment.”

Read the article: http://baltimorepostexaminer.com/maryland-needs-invest-farm-fresh-food-low-income-families/2017/11/02