EBT Announcement for Markets

The Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) was recently awarded a specialty crop grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Marketing Service program to enhance the competitiveness of Missouri specialty crops.

The Specialty Crop Project will enhance rural development across the state in many ways providing Missourians with more opportunities to become engaged in or purchase specialty crops. Wireless electronic benefits transfer (EBT or Food Stamp) machines will be placed in 19 eligible farmers’ markets to assist in providing underprivileged citizens the opportunity to purchase fresh produce and horticulture with foods stamps and WIC coupons.

The MDA is in the process of identifying which markets across the state will be eligible to receive the Wireless devices that will take both EBT and debit transactions. Ten markets have already been chosen to receive wireless (point of sale) EBT machines. The MDA continuing to find nine more markets to receive machines. If your market is interested please contact Lane McConnell at 573-526-4984 or Lane.McConnell@mda.mo.gov.

The following Missouri markets will be EBT (food stamp) accessible for the 2008 market season…congratulations to these markets.

Marceline Area Business & Community Coalition Farmers’ Market: Marceline, MO
Cape Alternative Farmers’ Market: Cape Girardeau, MO
Greater Springfield Market: Springfield, MO
Columbia Farmers' Market: Columbia, MO
East Hill’s Farmers' Market: St. Joseph, MO
Tower Grove Farmers' Market: St. Louis, MO
Washington County Farmers' Market: Potosi, MO
Kansas City City Market: Kansas City, MO
Fair Grove Farmers’ Market: Fair Grove, MO
Troost Community Farmers’ Market: Kansas City, MO

I'm out tomorrow at the St. Peters Farmers' Market Workshop.