Far more than farmer revenue is at stake in the threatened loss of SNAP sales at 40 percent of U.S. farmers markets, said the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition on Monday. “We believe that farmers’ ability to serve low-income families is not just important for their bottom line but also critical to genuinely healthy food systems,” said the grassroots alliance in calling for a long-term solution that assures food stamp recipients can use their EBT cards to buy fresh foods at farmers markets.
“We invite companies, particularly those offering mobile credit and debit processing, to serve the growing mobile SNAP processing market in order to ensure that farmers and SNAP shoppers are able to come together to support each other’s needs,” said NSAC. California, Mississippi and South Carolina “can be a model for the rest of the country” because they provide no-cost wireless equipment to farmers markets and growers who sell directly to consumers. “NSAC member organizations stand ready to work with State Departments of Agriculture, SNAP agencies, and State Legislatures to develop, share, strengthen and publicize long term, state-based solutions that support markets, farmers, and SNAP shoppers.”
The Washington Post in collaboration with FERN reported on July 9 that Novo Dia Group, which processes 40 percent of SNAP purchases at farmers markets, would end service on July 31 due in part to USDA’s decision to work with a different vendor. Since then, patchwork efforts have assured service through the end of the marketing season.