Maine Harvest Bucks return to Farmington Farmers’ Market

6 mins read


FARMINGTON – The Farmington Farmers’ Market is proud to be offering Maine Harvest Bucks at the market again this year. Maine Harvest Bucks is a program that helps thousands of Mainers eat more fruits and vegetables every year. People who buy food using SNAP (the program formerly known as food stamps) have an average of $4 a day to spend on food. Maine Harvest Bucks doubles that amount of food dollars and encourages the shoppers to buy fruits and vegetables at the farmers’ market.

This year, shoppers have two opportunities to shop and earn Maine Harvest Bucks, as the Friday market on Front Street will now be able to process debit, credit and EBT transactions. The markets operates every Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Front Street, across from the Better Living Center and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at the Farmington District Court parking lot on Main Street.

Any person who shops with SNAP is welcome to join in and reap the harvest with Maine Harvest Bucks. Maine Harvest Bucks increases the purchasing power of people shopping with SNAP. When a shopper spends a dollar with SNAP (purchasing things like local meat, eggs, baked goods at the Farmers Market), they will receive a dollar-for-dollar match in Maine Harvest Bucks. The Maine Harvest Bucks can then be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at the market that day or shoppers can also save the Harvest Bucks vouchers for when their SNAP/EBT funds are low. This helps to ensure families can buy food at all times of the month.

The United Way of the Tri-Valley Area is the fiscal sponsor for the Farmington Farmers’ Markets Harvest Bucks program again this year and is excited to see even more growth. Last year SNAP/EBT shopping at the market increase of 135 percent last year, which is a lot of fresh, local food getting to many families. Volunteers will process EBT and debit/credit cards and provide valuable resource information to shoppers at the Market. For more information about volunteering, contact volunteer@uwtva.org or call 778-5048.

The market members noted that the Maine Harvest Bucks continued to bring them new customers last year and look forward to meeting many more this year. They also regard the program as a great way for their market to fight food insecurity in their community. Erica Emery, owner of Rustic Roots Farm noted, “We are excited to get healthier food to customers who may not have shopped at the farmers’ market before. It’s good for farmers when people shop at the market and good for the shoppers.”

The program helps to address a major issue in all Maine communities. Maine has the third highest percentage of residents experiencing hunger in the country (behind Alabama and Louisiana). One in every four children in Maine are food insecure. SNAP keeps thousands of Mainers out of poverty by giving them extra dollars for food. However, shopping for food with only $4 a day can lead to difficult choices. Maine Harvest Bucks helps Maine families by doubling the food budget for shoppers using SNAP at farmers’ markets.

Maine Harvest Bucks is a program of the Maine Federation of Farmers’ Markets (MFFM). MFFM supported the program for the past several years under USDA’s Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive Grant. Farmington Farmers’ Market partners with MFFM to operate the program.

“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 was founded in 2009 and is now featuring more than nine permanent vendors with rotating guest vendors throughout the season. At the Farmington Farmers’ Market, you will find a friendly face at the “Market Info Booth” who can explain how Maine Harvest Bucks works. Visit maineharvestbucks.org to learn about all the locations (farmers’ markets and more!) statewide where these SNAP bonuses are available.

Be sure to like the Farmington Farmers’ Market and United Way of the Tri-Valley Area on Facebook to learn more about upcoming activities such as cooking demonstrations and live music.

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