Farmington Farmers’ Market launches Maine Harvest Bucks

FARMINGTON — The Farmington Farmers’ Market has launched Maine Harvest Bucks this year, which helps Mainers who use SNAP benefits afford to eat more fruits and vegetables.
People who buy food using SNAP (the program formerly known as food stamps) have an average of four dollars a day to spend on food. Harvest Bucks doubles that amount of food dollars and encourages shoppers to buy fruits and vegetables.

The market operates from 9 a.m. to noon every Saturday at Farmington District Court, Main Street. Any person who shops with SNAP is welcome to shop at the market using Harvest Bucks.
The United Way of the Tri-Valley Area is fiscal sponsor for the program, and is seeking volunteers to staff the information booth. Volunteers process EBT and debit/credit cards and provide information. To volunteer, contact volunteer@uwtva.org or call 207-778-5048.
Market members note that Maine Harvest Bucks brings them new customers. They also regard the program as a great way for their market to fight food insecurity in the community.
When a shopper spends a dollar with SNAP, they receive a dollar voucher in Maine Harvest Bucks. The Maine Harvest Bucks vouchers go toward a dollar-for-dollar match for fresh fruits and vegetables at the market that day, or shoppers can save the vouchers for when their SNAP/EBT money is low. This helps to ensure families can buy food at all times of the month.
The program helps to address a major issue. Maine has the third highest percentage of residents experiencing hunger in the country (behind Alabama and Louisiana). One of every four children in Maine are food insecure. SNAP provides extra dollars for food, but shopping for food with only four dollars a day can lead to difficult choices. Maine Harvest Bucks increases the food budget for shoppers using SNAP.
Maine Harvest Bucks is a program of the Maine Federation of Farmers’ Markets. MFFM supported the program for the past three years under USDA’s Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive Grant. Farmington Farmers Market partners with MFFM to operate the program.
Additional support for Maine Harvest Bucks comes from the Speakeasy fundraiser held at the West Farmington Grange in April.
“It’s a win-win for farmers and the families”, said Jimmy DeBiasi, the SNAP program coordinator at the Maine Federation of Farmers’ Markets. “Farmers gain new customers. Maine families that use SNAP have more dollars to spend on fruits and vegetables. That’s what Maine Harvest Bucks is about.”
The Farmington Farmers’ Market features nine permanent vendors as well as the “Market Info Booth,” where a volunteer can explain how Harvest Bucks work.
For more information visitmaineharvestbucks.org and like the Farmington Farmers’ Market on Facebook to learn more about upcoming activities such as cooking demonstrations and live music.