Farmers markets as a strategy for improving food environments pp 54-60

When designed effectively, supported by knowledge and an
understanding of the food-environment concept, government
policy and fiscal measures can positively influence what food
is available to consumers and lead to healthier dietary choices.
The food-environment concept, for example, has been crucial
to understanding and tackling food insecurity and food apartheid, as
described in this chapter.

EBT Point of Sale Device: Categories Overview

EBT Point of Sale Device Category Overview

This document will help you familiarize yourself with the categories of devices available – wired, wireless, and mobile, and help you start your search for the right device based on your cellular connectivity needs. This list is not exhaustive, nor is it a recommendation – these devices are examples of what we see commonly occurring in the Market and Farm Stand community.

Please refer to our Market Discovery Process to dive deeper into factors that may influence your technology choice. If you are seeking free or low cost EBT equipment, there are a couple of options. First, several states offer Free Wireless EBT Equipment to eligible markets and farmers — refer to our nationwide state-by-state guide for more information on what your state’s program offers. Marketlink also offers free equipment for eligible markets and farmers, and more information can be found here. Remember, choosing the technology that works for your market before looking at cost as a sole decision factor is vital to your market’s EBT program.

If you’d like to share your market’s device or insights, please reach out to Katie@farmersmarketcoalition.org.

Seven Common Mistakes Markets Make When Choosing EBT Technology

Seven Common Mistakes Markets Make when Choosing EBT Technology

Farmers markets around the country have been moving towards accepting additional currencies like SNAP benefits in order to make farm-direct food accessible to all shoppers. However, the nature of farmers markets and federal nutrition benefit programs requires that market operators have special equipment – EBT devices – in order to accept these benefits efficiently.

Many farmers market operators pick an EBT point of sale device without knowing exactly what challenges to prepare for. By now, market managers across the country have learned a lot of lessons the hard way — as a community, sharing this collective wisdom can prevent costly mistakes from affecting your market’s operations and finances on the road to implementing a food access program. This list isn’t comprehensive, nor in any particular order, but it does identify some common issues that we’ve seen market operators struggle with over the years.

EBT Technology: Market Discovery Process

EBT Technology: Your Market’s Discovery Process

Your process in choosing a Third Party Processor (TPP, or sometimes referred to as a “Merchant Service Provider”) and device (whether it’s a tablet or a payment terminal) to process EBT can be tricky and depends on a wide range of factors. At worst, rushing into the wrong agreement may create huge problems down the road. Understanding your model’s specific needs are crucial for this process for choosing the right Third Party Processor and corresponding device. 

This document includes a list of questions intended to jumpstart your thinking on specific EBT technology needs at your market or on your farm — it’s best used in conjunction with real feedback from farmers and market operators who use particular devices, or have faced similar challenges. Reach out to technical assistance providers in your area, email katie@farmersmarketcoalition.org, or share questions through FMC’s listserv for specifics. 

Farmers’ Legal Action Group (FLAG): COVID-19 Guide

Farmers’ Legal Action Group is a nonprofit law center dedicated to providing legal services and support to family farmers and their communities in order to help keep family farmers on the land.

The COVID-19 pandemic poses unprecedented challenges for nearly everyone. At Farmers’ Legal Action Group, our top priority is supporting family farmers and their communities so that farmers can stay on the land. Although our offices are closed to the public during this crisis, FLAG’s attorneys and staff are working full time to help farm families face the stresses of dealing with COVID-19 and its legal and financial consequences.

FLAG’s most recent Farmers’ Guide to COVID-19 Relief can be found at the link below.

Updated Farmers’ Guide to COVID-19 Relief April 27, 2020

Also see a quick summary of COVID-19 relief for farmers below, published in collaboration with our partners at Farm Aid, the Indigenous Food & Agriculture Initiative, the Intertribal Agriculture Council, Rural Advancement Foundation-International, and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

Navigating COVID-19 Relief for Farmers

Online Farmers Marketplace

Wildkale is an online farmers market where farmers can sell directly to local consumers within 300 miles around the farm. The farmers can earn full retail prices and reach 10-15 million households, including suburbia. The customers’ orders are conveniently delivered from the farm to their doorstep in less than 24 hours. Please contact us for more information if you want to start selling directly to consumers online.

PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM LOANS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Small Business Administration (SBA), in consultation with the Department of the Treasury,
intends to provide timely additional guidance to address borrower and lender questions
concerning the implementation of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), established by section
1102 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act or the Act). This
document will be updated on a regular basis.

Question 3 pertains to nonprofit organizations

Question 34 pertains to farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers

South Dakota Farmers Market List

Map and list of active farmers markets in South Dakota

Creating a Farmers Market Living Lab: Lessons Learned in Growing a Farmers Market

This booklet is the result of asking the question, “What can we do to increase sales and attendance at our market?”, reports the results from using our market as a “living lab” to systematically test ideas to answer this question.

North Dakota Farmers Market and Growers Association Resources

The NDFMGA has compiled extensive lists of resources for farmers markets, producers/growers, community, and other useful links.

Farmers Market Resources include:

• Marketing Toolkit for Farmers Markets and Vendors

• 2010 Market Exploration Grant Final Results

• Best Practices for Food Sampling at Farmers Markets

• Color Combinations for Signs and Banners

• Guide to Food Handling

• Guide to Starting your own farmers market

• Ideas for cooing demonstrations at the farmers market

• Letter visibility chart for signs and banners

• ND Farm to Market Guide

• ND market pricing study 2011

• Organic Labeling at Farmers Markets

• Starting a new farmers market management guide

• ND State Health Department ruling on selling home preserved items.

Check out these resources and more!