Shop Local, Eat Fresh at the Saratoga Farmers' Market | Food, Crafts, Music in Saratoga Springs

Shop Local, Eat Fresh

SNAP

Stretching your food dollars at the farmers’ market: nutrition assistance programs for seniors, WIC participants, and SNAP shoppers

By

By Madison Jackson

Ensuring that fresh, local, and healthy foods are accessible to the local community is a top priority for farmers’ markets. Thankfully, there are various programs available that can help bridge the gap.

Farmers’ market EBT coins, photo by Pattie Garrett

Year-round at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market’s Wednesday and Saturday markets, customers who own an EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) card can exchange their SNAP benefits for farmers’ market tokens to purchase fresh foods, including fruit and vegetables, bread and baked goods, meat, fish, and poultry, dairy products, honey and maple products, and value- added foods like soup mixes, sauces, and jams and jellies. Herb plants and plants that produce food are also approved purchases with EBT coins.

The market additionally offers two SNAP incentive programs between which customers can choose with each transaction to get the most bang for their buck. The FreshConnect program, run by New York State, offers an extra $2 coupon to spend on SNAP items for every $5 a customer spends with their EBT benefits. Double Up Food Bucks, administered by Field & Fork Network and new at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market this season, matches SNAP benefits dollar-for-dollar (up to $20 per market day) with extra tokens that can be spent on fruits, vegetables, and produce-bearing plants. FreshConnect runs year-round, while the Double Up Food Bucks season runs July through October.

FMNP poster, photo by Pattie Garrett

More seasonally, the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) is a New York State program that offers WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) participants and seniors coupons to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables at the farmers’ market. Our local WIC office distributes WIC coupons. Senior coupons will be distributed by the Saratoga County Office for the Aging on-site at the Saratoga market on Saturday, August 7th (9 am-1 pm) and Wednesday, August 11th (3-5 pm) at High Rock Park. The Office for the Aging will also distribute the coupons at the Clifton Park market on Monday, July 26th (2-5 pm) and Monday, August 16th (2-5 pm) at the Shenendehowa United Methodist Church. Individuals aged 60+ who live on a limited income may pick up a booklet of coupons containing 5 $4.00 coupons (limit one per person).

To spend your WIC or Senior FMNP coupons at the market, look for the blue poster at participating vendors’ stalls or simply stop by the market information table for a complete list of farms accepting FMNP coupons. The FMNP season runs from June through October, after which unused coupons expire.

Utilizing the available nutrition assistance programs is a win-win-win situation. Low-income consumers have more access to healthy foods, local farmers gain income and connect with new customers, and more food dollars stay in the local economy.

This week’s recipe: Summer Vegetable Stir Fry

Farmers’ market programs make food accessible

By

By Julia Howard

Farmers’ market EBT coins, photo by Pattie Garrett

Connecting our community with locally produced food is a priority of the Saratoga Farmers’ Market. While this connection supports the local economy, it also ensures that people of all economic levels have access to fresh, locally-sourced food.

With this purpose, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market has partnered with the federal government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), FreshConnect program, and Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program for WIC participants and Seniors (FMNP).

“These programs are vital for providing our community with food while also supporting the livelihood of farmers and producers,” says Emily Meagher, the market’s administrator. “We are proud to offer these ongoing programs that encourage our community to shop local and eat healthily.”

FreshConnect coupon, photo by Pattie Garrett

At the farmers’ market, SNAP participants and veterans, service members, and their immediate families may use their Benefit card at the market information tent on Wednesdays and Saturdays where market staff can exchange EBT money for farmers’ market EBT coins. These coins never expire and may be spent directly with farmers’ market vendors. Vendors are not able to give cash change for purchases, however, they will make up any difference in product.

EBT coins may be used to purchase EBT allowable foods including fruit and vegetables, bread and baked goods, meat, fish, and poultry, dairy products, honey and maple products, and value-added foods like soup mixes, sauces, and jams and jellies. Herb plants and plants that produce food may also be purchased with EBT coins.

In addition to participating in the SNAP program, the farmers’ market also offers FreshConnect coupons. For every $5 a customer spends with their EBT benefits, they will receive a $2 FreshConnect coupon to spend at the farmers’ market.

Photo by Pattie Garrett

Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (WIC and Senior) coupons may also be used to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables at the farmers’ market. FMNP senior coupons are given to individuals age 60+ who are living on a limited income. The Saratoga County Office for the Aging will be handing out booklets of 5, $4.00 FMNP coupons (limit one per person) to eligible seniors on Monday, July 27, 2-5 pm, at the Clifton Park Farmers’ Market and Wednesday, August 5, 3-5 pm, at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market. No proof of income or identification is needed; individuals simply sign a paper attesting that they are over the age of 60 and their income is under the limit.

 

This week’s recipe: Steak or Lamb Kebabs with Summer Vegetables