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A Guide to SNAP/EBT for NC Farmers Market

RAFI-USA’s Come to the Table program is happy to present the second edition of the “Guide to SNAP/EBT for NC Farmers Markets: Steps, Best Practices, and Resources”.

Accepting SNAP/EBT benefits at farmers markets can create a more inclusive, accessible market space for low-income community members. However, it’s important for market organizers to carefully examine whether accepting SNAP is right for their market and determine the required resources and capacity needed to run a successful program. This guide is for farmers market organizers, public health professionals, and food justice advocates who want to learn how farmers markets can accept SNAP/EBT benefits. The guide includes an overview of SNAP/EBT in North Carolina and how to implement a successful SNAP/EBT program at farmers markets. The guide also describes farmers market nutrition incentive programs and how farmers markets can implement their own incentive program.

North Carolina Farmers Market Case Studies

An exciting addition to the Second Edition is four case studies of North Carolina farmers markets with existing SNAP/EBT programs. The farmers markets vary in size, location, and community demographics. Market managers reading the guide will be able to use the case studies to find the farmers market that most resembles their own. From there they can learn what their market might reasonably expect from starting a SNAP program including equipment costs, transaction volume, outreach efforts, etc.

The Resource and Appendix section contains several templates, sample surveys, and tools for farmers markets to adapt for their own use.

As a companion to the Guide’s section on record-keeping, RAFI-USA is also offering a new tool, the Guide to Excel for Farmers Market SNAP/EBT Programs. This downloadable Excel workbook contains instructions, tips, templates for SNAP/EBT record-keeping in Excel 2013.

Download the Guide to SNAP/EBT for NC Farmers Markets here.
Download the Guide to Excel for Farmers Market SNAP/EBT Programs here.

RAFI-USA thanks the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust for making the Second Edition of the Guide possible.

Please contact RAFI-USA’s Expanding Farmers Market Access Program Coordinator at a[email protected] with any questions or feedback about the guide.

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