With the closure of an EBT processing company looming at the end of this month, Senators urged the USDA to explore all options so SNAP recipients can continue to shop at farmers markets. The company, which processes 40 percent of SNAP sales at farmers markets, is ending service on July 31 and a successor company says it will take several weeks to get its equipment in place.
“Any disruption in EBT service at these markets would have devastating impacts on SNAP families as well as farmers who sell their products to these local families,” said the 14 Democrats. “We ask that the Food and Nutrition Service explore every possible option to ensure there is no disruption in EBT service at farmers markets during this critical market time.”
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer was among the Democrats signing the letter. Also signing it were eight of the 10 Democrats on the Senate Agriculture Committee, which oversees USDA.
The Washington Post reported on July 9 that when Novo Dia, based in Austin, Texas, shuts down, some 1,700 farmers markets would have no way to serve low-income customers using their EBT cards to buy produce with SNAP benefits. The story, written by Jane Black and Leah Douglas, was produced in partnership with FERN.
To read the senators’ letter, click here.
To read the original story, click here.