Healthy and local food for all

Believing that access to healthy, local farm-fresh food should be a right, not a privilege, Marin Farmers Markets began an EBT (electronic benefits transfer/food stamps) acceptance program in Fall 2008. Today the program is running in all eight of MFM’s markets.

Farmers markets are community gathering places, aimed at providing an opportunity for people of all demographic backgrounds to come together and enjoy healthy and local food. Still, affordability is a barrier that limits the accessibility of farmers markets to members of low socio-economic status.

The original Food Stamp Program was designed by the federal government to assist people of low or no income to meet basic food needs by providing coupons to purchase food. In 2002, paper Food Stamps evolved into Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) nation-wide, which added a layer of logistical complexity for farmers markets, many of which lacked the infrastructure to transition to the new system.

Now, EBT users can come to a Marin Farmers Market information booth with their EBT card. They are issued unique MFM $1.00 wooden coins which they can spend at MFM farmers markets to purchase fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, and poultry, dairy products, breads, and cereals.

EBT usability at farmers markets is an important way to insure that all people have access to fresh and nutritious local foods.

MFM is getting the word out about EBT at their markets and through partner organizations in Marin County. They would like to invite farmers, local organizations, and the community to join in helping make local food accessible to as many people as possible.

- Leah Smith, Marin Farmers Markets

To learn more about how affordable it can be to shop in season at your local farmers market visit www.marinfarmersmarkets.org/index/affordability.