Farmers Markets Get More Marvelous This Summer with EBT’s Market Match

It’s farmer’s market season! There are more than 10,000 farmers markets nationwide building relationships with farmers, businesses, and guests within the community. People can shop as the summer sun shines. And the new SNAP EBT Market Match Program will help more people get access to enjoy the experience.

Over 100 farmers markets and farm stands in Washington State are participating in the Market Match. With this program, guests who use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)/EBT benefits can increase their food budget to buy more produce. Here’s how it works:

1.      Visit a participating market's information booth and tell them you’d like SNAP Market Match. You can find participating markets in the “Participating Stores by County” section of the Washington Department of Health SNAP Market Match Page.

2.      Swipe your EBT card for the amount you want to spend.

3.      Guests will receive that amount in EBT tokens and the same amount in SNAP Market Match dollars. Markets match $25 or more per day. The limit depends on the market.

The Market Match Program allows people to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, mushrooms, herbs, seeds, or plants that grow produce.[JS3]  SNAP Market Match Currency cannot be used for the following:

·       Dried, canned, or frozen produce and herbs

·       Jams, jellies, fruit juices or ciders

·       Nuts, seeds, eggs, baked goods, seafood or meats, and milk or cheese.

Many of our guests live in Beacon Hill, Georgetown, Southpark, and Rainier Beach, where there are higher-than-average rates of food insecurity. 26.7% of people in Beacon Hill, Georgetown, Southpark face food insecurity, and 17.9% of those in Rainier Beach are food insecure as opposed to the state average of 11.1%. The Market Match program can have an outpaced impact for our neighbors affected by food insecurity. The closest farmers market to our neighbors is the Columbia City Farmers Market, which is open on Wednesdays from 3 to 7pm until October 9, and is participating in the Market Match program.

Columbia City has one of seven markets run by the Seattle Neighborhoods Farmers Markets organization. One of its priorities is to make fresh, local foods accessible to everyone, regardless of income. Each time people swipe their SNAP card at the Market Manager tent of any Seattle Market location, they’ll offer a dollar for dollar bonus match, for any amount swiped. As a result, our neighbors that use SNAP Benefits/EBT will have access to more produce at the Seattle Neighborhood Farmers Market with no additional enrollment required.

For more information on the EBT Market Match Program, visit the Washington Department of Health SNAP Market Match Page. You can also visit seattlefarmersmarkets.org to learn more about the Columbia City Farmers Market and the other six markets across Seattle.