Market Bucks Help Neighbors Stretch their SNAP Dollars at Local Farmers Markets

Thousands of shoppers flock to Minnesota’s robust farmers markets each year, picking up staples such as fresh farm produce, and other locally sourced items. Thanks to the Market Bucks program, neighbors who use SNAP/EBT can make their dollars go even further.

Market Bucks is a nutrition incentive program at participating farmers markets, mobile markets, and some direct marketing farmers from across the state of Minnesota. SNAP customers can not only use their EBT card to make purchases, but the first ten dollars they spend will be dollar matched. Furthermore, if the shopper decides to purchase fresh produce, they will receive an additional dollar in Produce Market Bucks.

“We’ll have neighbors use their ten dollars in SNAP, get ten dollars in Market Bucks, and ten dollars in Produce Market Bucks,” says Jill Westfall, Statewide Food Access Manager of The Food Group. “They’ll walk away from the welcome booth at the market with $30 to spend, and all they had to spend was ten SNAP dollars, which is incredible.”

Not only are neighbors on SNAP able to stretch their dollars, but those dollars also get spent at local vendors and help out local Minnesota and Western Wisconsin farmers. Those dollars circulate in local economies, helping farmers spend money on their own farms. “We see research where every dollar in SNAP spent creates $1.50 in economic activity,” says Jill.

“It’s a benefit to a SNAP customer but also helps support local growers and our local economies.”

The Market Bucks program incentivizes shoppers to purchase fresh and nutritious produce. 

There are 108 participating farmers market locations across the state of Minnesota, and The Food Group is developing new initiatives to make sure as many neighbors have access to the program as possible. “We also have three mobile markets, which make multiple stops. And we have eight direct marketing farmers who do on-site sales at their farm at their farm stands.”

The Food Group is working with CSAs who have expressed interest in the program, which Jill hopes will secure more sales for the farmers directly, but also open up different opportunities and locations where neighbors can access fresh local produce.

One of the signs that the program is beneficial to both neighbors and farmers is the number of farmers that are signing up to take Market Bucks at their farmstands. “Having these farmers step up and say ‘this is really beneficial for my business’ has been really great. This is their livelihood, but also, they really support their community, and what they’re doing is providing access.”

Incentives like Market Bucks and Produce Market Bucks are proven in shifting eating habits and helping neighbors improve their overall nutrition and health. “People respond better to carrots than they do sticks,” says Jill. “And behavior change really takes a lot of carrots.”