1. SNAP at Farmers Markets:
Logistics, Policies, Partnerships, and
Evaluating Success
Community Food Security Coalition
Annual Conference • November 5, 2011

2. Introductions
 Stacy Miller, Farmers Market Coalition
Charlottesville, Virginia
 Darlene Wolnik, Farmers Market Coalition
New Orleans, Louisiana
 Suzanne Briggs, Farmers Market Coalition
Portland, Oregon
 Jean Hamilton, NOFA- Vermont
Richmond, Vermont
 Jezra Thompson, Roots of Change
San Francisco, California
 You!

3. Goals of the Workshop
 Offer a variety of SNAP program design decisions
that are dependent on community setting, farmers
market organization structure and community
partners
 Offer tools to better understand farmers
markets’ characteristics and capacity and their
community
 Identify policies that impact SNAP in farmers
markets
 Discover the mutual benefits of working with
community partners

4. SNAP in Farmers Markets:
What have we learned?
Where are we going?
Stacy Miller
Executive Director
Farmers Market Coalition

6. Equity in Farmers Markets
 Farmers become price
makers versus price takers
 Define a sense of place & build community
 Foster entrepreneurship and independence
 Bridge urban and rural divides and serve as
cultural mixing bowls
 Children learn the value of healthy food
 Strengthens community ties via cross-cutting
Relationships

7. SNAP Benefits ($1,000) in 2008

8. SNAPshot 2010
◦ The average household size is 2.2 people
◦ The average length of time a participant stays
on the program is 9 months
◦ 93% are U.S. born citizens
◦ 85% of all SNAP benefits go to households with
children, elderly, or persons with disabilities
◦ The average monthly SNAP benefit per person
is $130
◦ 1.4 million SNAP participants are rural
http://www.fns.usda.gov/ora/MENU/Published/SNAP/FILES/
Participation/2010Characteristics.pdf

9. Online at www.farmersmarketcoalition.org

10. What are the speedbumps?

13. The SNAP in Farmers Market
Progress Report:
What Can We Measure From
What We Learn?
Darlene Wolnik
Independent and Trainer and Researcher for Public Markets

14. A few things are happening within this
Learning Circle…
The common outcome:
Progress Report template
 CPPW communities want to
understand and communicate the
challenges and success of their projects.
 FMC wants to learn from CPPW
communities and build a nationwide
menu of indicators and a shared Market
Profile.

15. Progress Report
Profile
Challenges
Indicators
Lessons learned

16. Market Intent (mission) and History
= Market Profile
 Using general questions that apply to
many varieties of markets, a Market
Profile will be devised for a market
community member to complete.
 Must take less than 30 minutes and
allow a market person to complete.
 Should not include project specific or
sensitive data.
 Should not duplicate other annual
surveys (USDA)

17. Market Intent (mission) and History
= Market Profile
 Information should be
shared widely on a web
interface.
 Markets themselves need
access to Profiles to use as
reports.

18. Challenges:
Early barriers or stumbling blocks that
the project uncovered.
“Hard to attract shoppers.”
“Not a tradition or critical mass of farmers markets”
“Lack of business sophistication among markets and
farmers”
“Markets are 4-5 Vendors with 100 to 150 people per day”
“Many level of barriers for permitting and for fees”
“No definition of farmers markets”

19. Indicators:
Here’s where projects include individual factors
Indicators or Measurement Statistics:
 Set of data collection points that will allow markets
and their partners to select which impacts to
measure.
 How much time and who must collect the data will be
also be identified.

20. Indicators or Measurement Statistics (continued):
 Uses the framework of Farmers Market Coalition’s
triple-bottom line.
 Cross-references the economic, social and human
benefits for each group.
Please tell us what is useful for your project by taking the
survey. Please add your own indicators too.

21. HOW data must be collected and by WHOM?
 Observation 1-5 hours per collection
◦ Trained volunteers. Usually takes entire market
time. 2-5 people needed, Data is useful for many
purposes but must be collected fairly and with
discipline.

22. HOW data must be collected and by WHOM?
 Interview Surveys 6-14 hours per collection
◦ Trained team. 2-15 people needed but data is
lengthy. Collection is logistically complex.

23. HOW data must be collected and by WHOM?
 Passivesurveys (also known as Dot Surveys or
Bean Polls) 6-8 hours per collection
◦ Trained volunteers. 1-3 people but they can also
handle other duties. Entire market.

24. HOW data must be collected and by WHOM?
 End of Day data collection 1-4 hours per
collection
◦ Market staff or paid office staff. Requires
skills with office reports and analysis
 Office Records Research 2-8 hours per
collection
◦ Market staff or office staff. Requires space
and time in office and skill in building
spreadsheets or graphs.

25. HOW data must be collected and by WHOM?
 Anecdotes 1-5 hours per collection
◦ Trained volunteers. 1-3 people needed, Data is less useful
for stand-alone reporting but can brighten up other
reports. Can handle other duties
 Field Research
◦ Trained team. 2-5 people needed. data is lengthy. Collection
is logistically complex.

26. Lessons learned = sharing knowledge
 “Get better price comparison templates – prices
need to be specific for product categories such as
free range eggs”
 “Know what products are selling in different
markets”
 “Get FMNP sales figures by county”
 “Use WIC peers to promote the market”
 “Collect formal recordings of testimonies of
shoppers and community partners”

28. Next Steps
Complete the indicator survey online at Survey
Monkey (link sent via email)
On the calendar:
December 7 webinar: Measuring the
Mob: Reliable and Visitor Count and
Customer Data Collection Techniques
January webinar: Price comparisons and
Communicating Affordability

29. The Forks in the Road:
Logistical Strategies for Services
Evolution of Wireless Card
SNAP Early Adopter – Farmers Market Federation
→ in Farmers Markets
of New York
→ SNAP in farmers markets programs had
simple accounting systems
→ Wireless card machines go mainstream
offering SNAP and debit
Suzanne Briggs
Technical Assistance Program Manager
Farmers Market Coalition

30. Forks in the Road Decisions
◦ SNAP or No SNAP
◦ Who owns the SNAP permit: farmer? market? partner?
◦ So many third party providers, who to choose?
◦ Rent or Purchase Wireless Card machines?
◦ Paper receipts versus tokens?
◦ How does the market cover operating cost?
◦ Revenue stream options?
◦ Who markets to the SNAP and WIC shoppers?
◦ Future technology impacts?

31. Evolution of Wireless Card Services
→ Early Adopter – Farmers Market Federation
of New York
→ SNAP in farmers markets programs had
simple accounting systems
→ Wireless card machines go mainstream
offering SNAP and debit

32. Evolution of Wireless Card Services
→ Farmers markets begin generating revenue
streams to cover costs
→ Increased # of farmers markets accepting
credit cards
→ Farmers markets began favoring rented
wireless card machines
→ Explosion of matching incentive programs.
→ Introduction of THE SQUARE technology.

33. Ecology of Farmers Markets

34. Farmers Market Profiles Matter:
Farmers Markets Organized by Farmers
 Strongest relationship
with fellow farmers and
market shoppers
 Market manager is a
farmer
 Limited relationships with
community partners

35. Farmers Market Profiles Matter:
Farmers Markets Organized by Farmers
 Unknown sales records
 Many SNAP permit holders, many fees, no
economies of scale
 Limited marketing to SNAP and WIC shoppers

36. Farmers Market Profiles Matter:
Farmers Market Organized by
Community Farmers Market Organizations
 Stronger community ownership
 Dedicated market manager to connect
farmers and shoppers
 Some capacity to engage community
partners
 One SNAP permit holder, one monthly
fee, some economies of scale
 Markets to SNAP shoppers through
community partners and agencies
 Greater capacity to participate in
statewide farmers market association

37. Farmers Market Profiles Matter:
Farmers Market Organized by Community Non Profits
 Mission Driven
 Dedicated personnel
 Subsidizes farmers markets
with other organization
resources
 Smaller farmers markets often
in low income neighborhoods
 Deep understanding of health
disparities and hunger.

38. Wireless Card Services
State Agency Support
◦ Purchase machines for the farmers and/or farmers market
◦ Provide state-owned wireless card machines
◦ Reimburse farmers market for rental fees, SNAP
transaction and monthly fee
◦ SNAP agency promotes the farmers markets through
mailers and websites
◦ Provide incentive dollars for people of disabilities who use
SNAP
◦ Joint statewide private public marketing promotion
programs

39. Joint Public Agencies Success Story

40. 3rd Party Wireless Card Services
◦ SNAP Only
◦ SNAP Debit
◦ SNAP Debit/Credit Card

41. Wireless Card Services
Transaction Fees
Debit vs CC $10 $20 $30 $40 $100
Provider A Debit .55 .55 .55 .55 .55
Provider A CC .46 .70 .94 1.18 2.61
2.39% +.22
Provider B Debit .55 .55 .55 .55 .55
Provider B CC .49 .73 .97 1.21 2.65
2.40% +.25
Provider C Debit .40 .40 .40 .40 .40
Provider C CC .52 .72 .93 1.13 2.34
2.02% +.32
Provider D Debit .55 .55 .55 .55 .55
Provider D CC .41 .62 .82 1.03 2.28
2.08% +.20

42. Wireless Card Services
Woodstock Farmers Market
June July August September
Total Sales – Debit $500.01 $3,855.38 $6,010.0 $2933.05
and Credit 0
# of Transactions - 24 156 237 135
Debit and Credit
Total Fees $246.65 $214.21 $234.84 $152.72
Wireless Card Service .049329 .055561 .039075 .052069
Total Fees or or or or
4.9% 5.5% 3.9% 5.2%
FM Charging Vendors 3 to 5% 3 to 5% 3 to 5% 3 to 5%

43. Wireless Card Services
Revenue Streams
◦ None – Operating fees paid by market general funds
◦ Charge to customer - $1.00 to $2.00 per debit
transaction
◦ Charge for tokens – charge $22.00 for 4 - $5 debit or
credit card tokens
◦ % charge of vendor token sales – 3 -5 percent of total
token sales.
◦ % charge of vendor sales minus the total dollars of
change returned to customer

44. One Tokens………Two Tokens
How many more?
Rainbow Colors of Tokens
 SNAP Tokens
 Debit/Credit Card Tokens
 Incentive Tokens
 Gift Certificate Tokens
 WIC Goes EBT
◦ Fruits and Veggie (CVV)
Tokens????
No More Tokens!!!! Solutions?

45. One Tokens………Two Tokens
How many more?
Possible Solutions?
 Paper Scripts cumbersome, but no liability, less
handling
 Move from centralize SNAP program to
Farmers own machines
 Farmers adopt new technology
 SNAP and WIC on same EBT software
platform

47. Wireless Card Services
Technology Game Changer
The
Square
2.75% +$.
15

48. Further Reading
 The Cultural Significance of Farmers Markets
http://farmersmarketcoalition.org/
the-cultural-significance-of-farmers-markets
 USDA Food & Nutrition Services (FNS) SNAP Permits
http://www.fns.usda.gov/cga/Contacts/FieldOffices.htm
 USDA SNAP application for Farmers Markets
http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/ebt/fm.htm (Please note that these
applications are not tailored to Farmers Markets specifically)
 Oregon Farmers Market Association EBT Resources http://
www.oregonfarmersmarkets.org/EBT/resources.html
 THE SQUARE - http://squareup.com/
 Mobile Market +APP – Nova Dia Group Ricky Aviles
raviles@novodiagroup.com
 TSYS Merchant Solutions – Rental Machine Options, Jason Butts
jbutts@tsys.com

49. Developing and Changing Policies that
Impact SNAP in Farmers Markets
Stacy Miller
Executive Director
Farmers Market Coalition

50. Federal Policy
• Requirements of the IRS Ruling
• Future EBT funding
• Ex. Gillibrand
• FNS Research and preliminary findings: how will they
influence administrative policy?
• Complexity of future EBT programs (WIC, WIC CVV,
etc)
• New regulations for smart phone apps and Verifone
tools to accept EBT

51. FMPP
◦ In 2010, 30% of FMPP grant funding
supported new EBT projects
◦ In 2011:
 40% of projects serve one or more food deserts
 24% of all funding went to new EBT projects
◦ $23 million in grants over five years

53. SNAP Leadership at USDA
 Strategic plan: 2,000 market authorized; $7.2
million in benefits redeemed by 2015
 Mission Accomplished! … right?
 Retailer locator: www.snapretailerlocator.com
 Blanket waver for scrip and incentives: Feb
2010
 1,611 FM SNAP authorized retailers: Sept 2010
 2011: 2,600 retailers
 FNS begins research on farmers markets’
relationship with nutrition programs: Nov 2010
 $4 million requested in 2011 and 2012 budgets

54. Legislative Opportunities
Expanding Access to Farmers Markets Act
(Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Sherrod Brown)
 Provide farmers markets with wireless, mobile equipment to process
SNAP benefits.
 Amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to require State agencies
and the Food and Nutrition Service of the USDA to treat farmers
markets and other open-air retailers the same as brick-and-mortar,
traditional retail food stores.
 Encourage State agencies to contract with nonprofit organizations to
assist with outreach, training and administration.
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:S.1593

55. Legislative Opportunities
Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act
(Representative Chellie Pingree and Senator Sherrod Brown)
 Similar provision to Expanding Access Act
 Fund two statewide pilot projects to develop the software,
technology, and machinery needed to facilitate redemption of
SNAP, WIC, & FMNP by wireless direct market retail food
vendors; at least one should include smartphone technology.
 Increase Senior FMNP to $25 million
 Allow farmers markets & CSAs to be venues for SNAP Education
 FMPP  Local Marketing Promotion Program: $30 million
http://sustainableagriculture.net/our-work/local-food-bill/

56. Promising State Legislation
 Washington
◦ SB 6483, the Local Farms, Healthy Kids
Act put wireless POS into 20 markets
 Illinois
◦ HB 4756, the Farmers Market Technology
Improvement Program
 California
◦ A.B. 537 requires markets to allow a
qualified organization to operate SNAP

57. State Initiatives:
Promising Programs & Partnerships
 Massachusetts: $50K grant program via DTA and
Dept. of Ag., with input from Mass Federation of FMs
 Minnesota: mini-grants funded through
Specialty Crop Block Grant
 Michigan: WIC Smartphone app
 Pennsylvania: Dept of Ag offers terminals

58. Example: Virginia Grant Program
PROJECT FUNDING:
The project funding will cover the 2011 market season and will
support the following infrastructure and resources as defined
below:
 One Wireless EBT POS Device (which also can process standard
credit cards (VISA, MasterCard) and bank issued debit cards)
 First Installment Of SNAP EBT Tokens (debit/credit tokens not
included)
 Signage, flyers, posters And/or other promotional Items
 Inclusion in statewide marketing plan
 Technical and programmatic assistance

59. Example: Virginia Grant Program
REQUIREMENTS FOR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS:
 For Market Participants, The Coordinator Can Be Anyone From The
Market Community (e.g. Manager,Vendor, Board Member, Community
Volunteer) Who Commits To Overseeing The Operations, Outreach,
Promotions, And Budgeting Of The EBT Program
 This Person May Or May Not Be The Staff Operator Of The Wireless
Device At The Market
 The Market Must Have A Reliable "Staff" Person Continuously Attending
The Table Where Customers Swipe Their EBT/Debit Cards In Exchange
For Tokens To Spend At The Market
 Market Coordinators And Individual Farmers Should Be Available To
Meet With The Virginia Farmers Market Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT)
Program Committee 2-3 Times Per Year (Usually Via Phone Conferences)

60. References and More Information
 USDA Strategic Plan
www.ocfo.usda.gov/usdasp/sp2010/sp2010.pdf
 Farmers Market SNAP Sales Soar in 2010
farmersmarketcoalition.org/snap-sales-soar-2010
 IRS 6050W Electronic Payment Reporting Requirement
farmersmarketcoalition.org/6050w-reporting-delay
Webinar video: http://youtu.be/oMN5sPjJnoY
 Real Food Real Choice: Connecting SNAP Recipients with Farmers Markets
farmersmarketcoalition.org/real-food-real-choice
 FNS Funds Research to Better Understand Farmers Markets
farmersmarketcoalition.org/fns-funds-research
 SNAP EBT at your Market: Seven Steps to Success (PPS)
pps.org/store/featured-items/snapebt-at-your-farmers-market-seven-steps-to-success/
 2010 SNAP Participant Characteristics
www.fns.usda.gov/ora/MENU/Published/SNAP/FILES/Participation/2010Characteristics.pdf
 Washington Local Farms, Healthy Kids Act
apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=6483&year=2007
 The Future of Farmers Markets: Evolving Technology to Connect Farmers Markets to Food
Assistance Recipients
farmersmarketcoalition.org/the-future-of-farmers-markets-evolving-technology-to-connect-
farmers-to-food-assistance-recipients

61. Developing and Changing Policy that
Impacts Farmers Markets:
Informing Local
and State Policy
Jezra Thompson
Program Manager
Roots of Change
San Francisco, California

62. Current Permitting, Zoning, and Policies
• Multiple permitting forms
and policies
• Contradictions between
counties and cities
• Inappropriate zoning for
temporary spaces, like fairs
and festivals
• Lack of communication
between orgs & agencies

63. Why do we need change?
 Markets represent a public
and private good
 They shape our spaces
and places
 Add economic activity
 Increase healthy food
access
 Engage communities and
build relationships

64. How can Counties and Cities change to
better support equity in farmers markets?
 What can cities do?
 What can counties do?

65. What can we do to help them change?
 Work with local businesses to gain support
for markets establishing in their
neighborhood
 Advocate for streamlined policies
 Partner with each other to build a
movement and a larger voice
 Work with your government offices and
advocate for their leadership

66. Further Reading
• Resource for jurisdictions interested in re-evaluating sanitation policies
related to farmers markets
http://www.marketumbrella.org/index.php?page=manual-field-to-table
• Marketumbrella.org Economic Eval: marketumbrella.org/marketshare/seed
• County-Specific Obesity, Diabetes, and Physical Inactivity Prevalence Data
(CDC):
www.cdc.govobesitydatatrends.htmls_cid=govD_dnpao_079&source=gov
delivery#County
• Food Environment Atlas (USDA): http://www.ers.usda.gov/foodatlas/
• Food Desert Locator (USDA): http://www.ers.usda.gov/data/foodDesert/
• National Farmers Market Directory:
http://apps.ams.usda.gov/FarmersMarkets/
• Public Health Law and Policy: Establishing Land Use Protections for
Farmers' Markets
http://www.nplanonline.org/nplan/products/establishing-land-use-
protections-farmers-markets

67. Identifying and Enriching
Community Partnerships
Jezra Thompson
Program Manager
Roots of Change, CA
Jean Hamilton
Market Development Coordinator
NOFA-VT

68. Outline:
 Review Guiding Questions
 Social Mapping
 Partnership Building Exercise
 Revisit Questions
 Review Lessons Learned
SEE LA’s Hollywood Farmers Market

69. Who can help your market?
 What is the value of partnerships?
 What are different types of
partnerships?
 How are different partnerships
formed?
 Where do we find partners?
 How can partnerships reduce work
Partners celebrate at the Winooski FM in VT
and redundancies?
 How can we make time for building partnerships?
Who can your market help?

70. Further Reading
 Building Smart Communities through Network Weaving
by Valdis Krebs and June Holley
 Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam
 Engaging the Community for Farmers Market Success by
NOFA-VT(www.nofavt.org/sites/default/files/Community%20Support%20Manual.pdf)
 Farmers Market Price Comparison in Southeast States http://
www.ruralscale.com/resources/farmers-market-study
 Vermont Farmers Markets Pricing Study
http://nofavt.org/pricestudy
 Farmers Market Coalition: www.farmersmarketcoalition.org/resources/

71. Our SNAP in Farmers
Market Progress Report:
What can we measure from what
we learned?

72. Questions?

73. Thank you!