Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) & Debit Cards

There are currently over 40 Vermont Farmers' Markets accepting EBT/Debit Cards!

To view the full list of markets, please visit http://www.vermontfoodhelp.com/info/farmers_markets.php

Resources for EBT and Debit Cards at Markets: 

Vendor and Market Training Materials:

• Manager and Staff: Market Day Instruction Sheet
• Understanding Market Tokens Sign 
• Stipend Invoice Form- For Vermont Farmers' Market EBT and Debit Card Grant recipients to track reimbursable expenses.

Budget Tracking Materials:

• Vendor Payment Tracking Sheet
• Transaction Log

Promotional Materials:

• "Debit Cards Accepted Here" Sign 
• "EBT and Debit Cards Accepted Here" Sign

• Most VT markets get wooden tokens from Maple Landmark in Middlebury.  If you participate in the Vermont Farmers' Market EBT and Debit Cards Grant, they have your artwork on file.
• Most VT markets use Efunds/FIS to process their wireless transactions.  If you have a question about your machine's functionality, call: 1800-558-6980 x3422.

• SNAP/EBT at Your Farmers Market: Seven Steps to Success: This guide, from the Project for Public Spaces, explains why and how to set up and support EBT acceptance at your farmers' market.
• SNAP - Putting Healthy Food Within Reach: This guide has been prepared by the USDA - FNS to help improve 3SquaresVT/SNAP participation.  It has excellent guidance around proven language and outreach strategies.
• Real Food Real Choice: This guide from Community Food Security Coaltion and Farmers Market Coalition explores policy recommendations to strengthen EBT sales at farmers' markets.

Grant Opportunities:

• Grant Opportunity: Vermont Farmers’ Market EBT and Debit Cards Project – The purpose of this grant is to enable farmers markets to accept bank and EBT (electronic benefits transfer) debit cards, thereby making local products more accessible to low income Vermonters, encouraging consumers to "buy local," allowing local producers to capture some of the $115 million in federal program benefits Vermonters are spending annually on food, and increasing overall farmers market sales. Applications for this grant program are due February 17, 2012. Click here for the grant information and application.

Project Background

EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) Cards are debit cards bearing the value of food or cash in federal program benefits. They have taken the place of paper food stamps, generating a necessity for businesses to have a greater technological capacity to accept food stamps, i.e. the need for a cardservice machine.

Informal points of sale such as the direct markets of farmstands and farmers’ markets are conveniently accessible, provide nutritious foods and support local economies. However, the majority of these locations are not outfitted with cardservice machines whether for EBT, Debit or Credit cards. The use of EBT cards benefits both the consumer and the supplier; those with lower incomes are able to purchase from local markets and the customer base at the markets expands. With a cardservice machine a farmers’ market would also have the opportunity to accept debit cards, further increasing the overall sales as customers can spend a greater amount than their cash on hand.

States throughout the nation have implemented programs for introducing the use of EBT and Debit cards within farmers’ markets. The Vermont Farmers' Market EBT and Debit Cards Project is a collaborative effort of Hunger Free Vermont, Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, and Vermont Department for Children and Families that has helped farmers' markets develop EBT and debit card service since 2007.

Opportunities for Vermont

Vermont receives over $11 million per month in food benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP - formerly known as the Food Stamp Program).  In Vermont, the SNAP program is called 3SquaresVT. The Vermont Farmers' Market EBT and Debit Cards Project helps recipients of the federal Food Stamp Program a support the state’s agricultural community and to obtain the highest quality of foods.

Increasing 3SquaresVT purchases at farmers’ markets allows small farmers to capture more of these federal resources. 3SquaresVT recipients also benefit, not only because they can purchase locally grown foods, but also because benefits can be used to purchase vegetable starts, honey, meats, dairy or maple products, and prepared foods such as cider or pickles.

Each Vermont farmers’ market equipped with a cardservice machine that accepts EBT, Debit and/or Credit has the ability of many benefits. This increases the opportunity in providing fresh produce and local products to low-income Vermonters and the opportunity for each market to improve overall sales, increasing the success of the market and the weekly incomes of the vendors. Overall, the expected result of EBT and Debit used at Vermont’s farmers’ markets is a growth of local economy and an option for low-income individuals and families to shop with their neighboring farmers rather than national retail chains.

What Markets Participate?

For a complete list of participating farmers' markets, farmstands, CSA programs, and other retail stores, please visit vermontfoodhelp.com.

Project Partners

This project is made possible with the help and cooperation of our project partners, listed below.

Ames Robb- EBT Director, Vermont Department for Children and Families Ames.robb@ahs.state.vt.us, (802) 241-2899

Mary Carlson- Food and Nutrition Program Coordinator, Vermont Department for Children and Families Mary.carlson@ahs.state.vt.us, (802) 241-258

Angela Smith-Dieng - 3SquaresVT Advocacy Manager, Hunger Free VT
Asmith-dieng@hungerfreevt.org, (802) 865-0255

Abbey Willard- Local Foods Administrator, Vermont Agency of Agriculture Abbey.Willard@state.vt.us, (802) 272-2885