The Black American Princess

Aug. 4, 2012 at 4:08pm with 23 notes

Reblogged from navigatethestream

Do Food Stamps Affect Farmers Markets?

And so here we are, a little over a month from when I first asked for your thoughts on the nation’s new Farm Bill, and it still hasn’t been passed. At the time, I said it was the “beginning of the end” of the long legislative process, but with constant hold-ups and increasingly hostile debates, it seems like it was more of “the end of the beginning.” It’s actually gotten to the point where folks in Congress are floating around the idea of simply extending the old farm bill for a year, giving everyone a bit of time to collect themselves before trying to pass the heftier five-year version.

And what’s keeping the farm bill from being passed? As I mentioned earlier, it’s the food stamps. Specifically, the plan to cut a large chunk of the funding of them. The Senate version of the bill cuts $4.5 billion in food stamps over the next five years, while the House version cuts a whopping $16.5 billion….

Diana Rodgers, Mar Vista/Sunset Strip Farmers Market:

“The Sunset Strip Market is brand new and is just doing the paperwork to accept food stamps. So, they will be forthcoming. The Mar Vista Farmers’ Market, though, accepts food stamps. It’s a relatively small percentage of business but an important one, and it’s growing all the time.”

Laura Avery, Santa Monica Farmers Markets:

“All four Santa Monica Farmers Markets accept food stamps, but it’s a very small percentage [of our business]. The markets issue approximately $400 in EBT benefits per week. Redemption varies, but it comes to under $500 per week on average. EBT redemption has remained low over the years.”

Jackie Sauceda-Rivera, Hollywood/Watts/Central/Echo Park/Crenshaw/Atwater Farmers Markets:

“The food stamps definitely help our markets on the whole. Not so much in the Hollywood Farmers Market, but if they were no longer being used, the markets in Watts, Central, Echo Park and Crenshaw would definitely take the biggest hits.”

See more about the issue here.

My farmer’s market doubles EBT, SNAP & WIC purchases and I would guess they (and other markets that offer these incentives) get a substantial amount from FS.

(Source: kcetliving)