Farmers’ Markets Accepting EBT

Several Farmers’ Markets around the state of Missouri are now equipped with EBT Machines. The EBT Machines are making it more accessible for Food Stamp recipients to purchase fresh and affordable locally grown fruits and vegetables.

The Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cardholder must take the card to the market information table or look for vendors that have signs that read: We take EBT here. When the consumer goes to the information table the market master or another person in charge will ask them how much they want to spend. Their card will then be swiped and they will receive tokens for the amount they charged. Each token normally will represent either $1 or $5.

If tokens are used at the farmers market the vendors will need to meet with the market master at the end of the market day to turn in their tokens. Usually the vendors will receive a check the next week for the amount they sold to EBT users.

EBT cards/tokens can be spent on any food item except hot and prepared foods. It can also be spent on edible plants like herbs or plants that produce food like tomatoes.

The government does not allow the vendors to give change for EBT tokens. If a purchase requires change, the customer can pay the whole dollars in tokens and the change in cash or they can pay the full amount in tokens and give up the change.

Recently a television station located in Springfield, MO covered a story about EBT cards being accepted at the Fair Grove Farmers Market. To read the article, go to KY3’s website.

Wellness Wednesdays: Another Healthy Alternative at City Market

Shoppers who find themselves in need of additional produce come mid-week or are somewhat intimidated by the City Market’s crowds on Saturdays and Sundays, have another healthy alternative with the Wednesday Farmers’ Market. Access to healthy, locally grown produce has never been easier! Every Wednesday, shoppers can find:

· Fresh, locally grown produce from nearby farms
· SNAP/EBT/VISON cards and WIC vouchers accepted with participating farmers
· Fast, convenient lunch options for budget conscious shoppers
· Easy access, take the MAX or ATA Bus line
· Free Parking

The first Wednesday of each month through October, the Wednesday Market features an expanded Wellness Wednesday component from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. In addition to the weekly farmers’ market, shoppers will benefit from:

· Valuable health & wellness screenings for adults & children, including blood pressure, blood sugar screens and body mass index measurements
· Useful information from area community health organizations
· Every month, the first 100 shoppers at Wellness Wednesdays will receive a free reusable shopping bag

Take that first step toward improving your health and the health of your family. Stop by the City Market for Wellness Wednesdays. (Press release courtesy of the City Market.)

City Market Receives Grant

Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer today announced 85 grants totaling $3,445,000 directed by the new farm bill to spread the use of farmers markets. Eighteen of the 85 grants promote a new electronic benefit transfers (EBT) to help low-income consumers buy locally-grown fresh fruits and vegetables. The Missouri Department of Agriculture still has wireless EBT and debit machines available for Missouri markets and producers, please contact me for further information.

The City Market was fortunate enough to be one of the states to receive a grant of $59,500 from the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service.

“Farmers markets are an increasingly popular source of fruits and vegetables,” said Schafer. “Locally grown and locally known sales of fresh produce strengthen the connection between farmers and the community.”

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service helps increase domestic consumption of agricultural commodities and improve farmers’ income. The grants are authorized under the amended Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing Act of 1976.

Regional local governments, nonprofit and economic development corporations, agricultural cooperatives and tribal governments in 43 states may use the money to establish, expand and promote farmers markets and other direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities. View the entire list of grantees.

Congrats again to the City Market!

Farmers’ Market Podcast: Learn about the Missouri Farmers’ Market Association and the Webb City Farmers’ Market

This week on the Missouri Farmers’ Market Podcast Show Brownfield’s Julie Harker talks with Missouri Farmers’ Market Association (MFMA) Secretary/Treasurer and Webb City Farmers’ Market Master Eileen Nichols about the benefits to members who join the MFMA. Nichols also discusses the following:

• Hmong grower enhancement at the Webb City Market
• The Webb City Market winning a Market of the Year Award for the market’s Roots Festival
• EBT (Food Stamp) program available at markets across the state

LISTEN HERE: Podcast 2

Farmers' Market Fun

On Wednesday, Lane and I had the privilege to visit southern Missouri to speak with enthusiasts who are just beginning a farmers' market in Battlefield and then travel on to see the successes of the Fair Grove Farmers' Market.

In Battlefield, we were very impressed with how much advanced preparation the community members had already done for their new farmers' market. We visited with five advocates of the farmers' market including the mayor and a possible future farmers' market manager.

Lane discussed several different marketing strategies for the new market including the use of banners and labeling. Vendor recruitment was also discussed, as well as market feasibility.

After discussing possible location advantages and disadvantages within a residential area and then straightening out a few other minor details for the Battlefield Farmers' Market, the future of the new market seemed bright. I think I was just as if not more excited about establishing the farmers' market than they were!

Lane and I then traveled across Springfield to the Fair Grove Farmer's Market. In Fair Grove, we saw a wide variety of vendors--everything from hydroponic tomatoes to a live bee demonstration to freshly baked strawberry angel food cake. As Lane and I visited with the market managers, Jim Gulick and Deb VanBenthusen, we realized how much they truly cared about their market.

Jim and Deb wanted to encourage young people to come to the farmers' market, and so they had developed a very unique free children's program called "Growing with Kids." Each child is given a membership card, and they are given different seeds for plants for their own garden each week ranging from tomato plants to gourds. The membership also lets them participate in different events sponsored by the market including a recent coloring contest.

The Fair Grove Farmers' Market has also been successful in the use of their EBT/Debit machine which they received thanks to help from the Missouri Department of Agriculture. The market is also trying a new strategy--gift certificates to the market. In light of Father's Day, the market decided to sell certificates, and I think they will be a great addition to their marketing strategies.

While we were visiting the Fair Grove Farmer's Market, Deb and Jim were kind enough to purchase our dinner at their food stand. Gary from Hilltop Pizza, a local pizza parlor, runs the stand with as many foods purchased from the farmers' market vendors as possible and is a huge supporter of the Fair Grove Farmers' Market.

My first farmer's market visit of my internship as well as my first experience in working with the organization of a farmers' market were really great learning experiences. The longer I immerse myself in farmers' markets, the more impressed I am with the potential of these great establishments.

View pictures from visiting Battlefield and Fair Grove here.

City Market is “Where the Locals Go”

“Where the locals go” is the City Market’s theme for 2008. It serves as a reminder of our daily commitment to the community as a gathering place for people of all ages. From our thirty plus year-round tenants and the Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday farmers’ markets, to the festivals, concerts and new movie series, the City Market is truly a unique destination which attracts thousands of visitors of all ages. The City Market draws more than 700,000 people together annually.

Food Festivals are one effective way the City Market promotes buying local, homegrown produce and the benefits of healthy living and concerts and other events expose new customers to the City Market. By broadening the market experience with new events it elevates the City Market’s reputation with a younger generation and families as well as reinforces its value to the repeat customer.

City Market Food Festival Series
Back for a second season, the Food Festival Series will take place the first Saturday of every month June through October. The festivals focus on produce over the growing season including berries, tomatoes, corn, melons and the fall harvest. The festivals feature themed contests, activities and demonstrations to complement the family friendly environment and produce readily available at the City Market. Recipe sampling will also provide the opportunity to try fresh produce in a new way. The City Market Food Festival Series is sponsored in part by the Neighborhood Tourism Development Fund, Renewal by Andersen, the University of Missouri Extension Office and the City Market.

June 7-Berry Festival
Berry beautiful baby contest, berried treasure, berry stomp, recipe sampling, storytelling, arts & crafts, Shatto Milk Company product sampling and baby calf petting display.

July 5-Tomato Festival
Salsa contest, tomato putt-putt, tomato toss and knock the cans off game, recipe sampling, live music by the String Beans, storytelling, face painting, arts & crafts, salsa dancing demonstration, bird and pet adoptions.

August 2-Corn Festival
Corny kid joke contest, corn toss, corn shucking and corn football, recipe sampling, storytelling, face painting, arts and crafts.

September 6 - Melon Festival
Melon bowling, melon shot put, melon seed spitting and melon soccer, recipe sampling, storytelling, face painting, art and craft projects pet adoptions, Shatto Milk Company product sampling and baby calf petting display.

October 4 - Harvest Festival
Another successful season will be celebrated at the City Market’s Harvest Festival. The fourth annual Harvest Festival Olympics will be the highlight of the day with corn shucking, musical hay bales, pumpkin bowling and pumpkin soccer rounding out the Olympic “events.” Additional activities include storytelling, face painting, arts & crafts, hayrides, recipe sampling, bird adoptions and the City Market Pumpkin Patch.

City Market Cinema
The City Market is working with the Kansas City Parks & Recreation Department to bring a series of offbeat movie classics to the City Market’s outdoor, open-air venue. Scheduled the last Friday evening of July, August and September, the City Market’s unique urban atmosphere will be an ideal location for the community to come together and enjoy a movie on a beautiful summer evening. Admission is free; movies begin at 9:00 p.m. and will be located in the City Market Park at Third and Grand. Bring your blanket and enjoy these City Market Cinema selections:

July 25 - Animal House
August 29 - Blues Brothers
September 26 - Rocky Horror Picture Show

2008 Farmers’ Market of the Year
As one of the most enduring farmers’ markets in the state of Missouri, with a one hundred fifty year history, staff has worked diligently to promote the many benefits of buying local, homegrown produce. The City Market is honored to have received the 2008 Missouri Farmers’ Market of the Year award from AgriMissouri and the Missouri Farmers’ Market Association. The City Market was also awarded Best Advertising Campaign, Best Photo and 2008 Champion of the Year.

The City Market is many things to many people – a cultural center representing the most diverse area in Kansas City, a farmers’ market linking growers to the community, an eclectic music venue for eager fans, a connection to the past preserving local history and an old friend at the root of precious memories for many. The City Market is proud to be a destination for locals and tourist looking for a taste of Kansas City. For more information about the City Market or any of the City Market events, visit http://www.thecitymarket.org/.

Where the locals go: The City Market is open 7 days a week, year ‘round. The Farmers’ Market is open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

Missouri Farmers' Market in the News

Since farmers' markets season is starting, the media is catching on. Farmers' markets have been popping up in local newspapers, statewide publications, and even in national new stories!

Here are a few articles on farmers' markets that caught my interest. Hope you enjoy them too!

Farmers market to allow food stamps, debit cards Columbia Daily Tribune - Columbia, MO, USA Low-income families "appreciate quality food and local food just as much as everyone else, and this is just making it more accessible," said Lane McConnell, ...See all stories on this topic

Many Missouri communities have weekend farmers' markets digitalBURG.com - Warrensburg, MO, USA Long before consumers had the option of buying foods and products at local supermarkets, farmers’ markets of all sizes and locales were providing healthy, ...See all stories on this topic

Farmers markets St. Louis Post-Dispatch - MO, United States Most local farmers markets are held on Saturdays, although some, such as Soulard, Kirkwood and the U. City Market in the Loop, are open more than one day a ...See all stories on this topic

Farmers market taking debit cards KOMU-TV - Columbia, MO, USA ... gonna help those citizens eat healthy and eat local, but also at the same time help grow our farmers markets," marketing specialist Lane McConnell said. ...See all stories on this topic

Food Tripping: There's no better time than now to get to know what ... Riverfront Times - St-Louis, MO, USA The best place to start is at one of the local farmers' markets. There, not only can you find produce so fresh that some of it might have been picked that ...See all stories on this topic

Fair Grove Farmers’ Market Kicks Start the 09 Season

The Fair Grove Farmers’ Market passed along information to me yesterday about the start of there first market day this past weekend. By the sound of all the great emails and phone calls I’ve received from marketers around the state, it sounds like the 09 season is off and running, with many markets seeing record sales for so early in the season.

If your market has information to share on the Missouri Farmers’ Market Blog, email us!

Here is what Fair Grove had to say:

We had such a great turn out at out Market. We had over 150 kids sign up for the Growing With Kids Program, 13 vendors there with all sorts of plants, breads, and yes even some produce. We are also having a coloring contest and handed out 200 coloring books.

I have all the kids e-mail address and I e-mail them every week to keep them posted and to remind them of what’s happening. Our venders are really excited about this. One vender told me out of the 3 years she has been doing the market she had the best day ever ($$).

We are lining our venders up in a row this year and rearranged the parking. We did 92dollars in debit transactions the first night. I feel that next week we will do well on EBT. I think since it was the end of the month people didn’t have the funds.

Our Master Gardeners handed out over 200 trees and cabbage plants to the kids, which the Missouri Dept of Conservation donated. And the Girl Scouts are there to help as well. We also gave each child a membership card, that they would show the Master Gardeners and then would get their free tree and plant.

Take a look at photos from the Fair Grove Market.

Missouri Farmers' Market EBT Program

The MDA is currently working on selecting markets across the state to participate in the Missouri Farmers’ Market EBT Program.

There are currently ten markets that have been selected and there are still nine machines left to place in selected markets. If you market is interested in participating in this program please contact me via email at Lane.McConnell@mda.mo.gov or 573-526-4984.

The wireless terminals not only accept EBT (food stamp cards) but also debit card transactions.

NCAT has some great resources available online about the EBT program in other states. We are currently working on a Missouri Farmers’ Market EBT Manual, which you will be hearing more about in the future.

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.

Farmers' Market Vouchers Boost Produce Consumption Among WIC Participants, Study Finds

Farmers' Market Vouchers Boost Produce Consumption Among WIC Participants, Study Finds
Jan 16, 2008
A study in this month's American Journal of Public Health suggests that participants in the federal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) consume more fruits and vegetables when they are given produce subsidies to use at farmers' markets and supermarkets, the New York Times reports. To evaluate the efficacy of produce subsidies, University of California-Los Angeles researchers followed 602 local participants in the federal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) for one year. Across the first six months, women in the intervention group received $10 in weekly vouchers to purchase produce from a nearby farmers' market or supermarket, while those in the control group received coupons for non-food items in exchange for information about their eating habits.

The researchers report that participants in the intervention group increased their fruit and vegetable consumption and sustained the increase six months after the coupons were suspended. Specifically, when compared with control group participants, women shopping at farmers' markets ate an additional 1.4 servings of produce per 1,000 calories and those shopping at supermarkets ate an additional 0.8 servings per 1,000 calories. Although the data do not indicate why mothers shopping at farmers' markets bought the most produce, some women reported finding fresher, higher quality produce at farmers markets. Others said they enjoyed the community experience and opportunity to interact directly with growers.

The Times suggests that, while the findings reinforce the positive impact of produce subsidies on fruit and vegetable consumption, they also indicate that vouchers provided by the WIC program may not offer enough support to boost produce consumption. Even after new guidelines take effect in February, the WIC program will offer monthly produce vouchers of $10 for breastfeeding mothers, $8 for all other mothers and $6 for each child per month, compared with $10 a week provided during this study. The researchers, meanwhile, point out that the findings indicate that WIC participants value fresh fruits and vegetables and suggest that increasing their accessibility will increase participants' consumption (Parker-Pope, New York Times, 1/15/08 [registration required]); Herman et al., American Journal of Public Health, January 2008 [subscription required]).

Missouri WIC/Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program

The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) was discontinued in 2004 as a result of funding cuts. The General Assembly has recently allocated funding for the WIC-FMNP. USDA, Food and Nutrition Service notified Missouri that they had only $15 million available in 2007 to support the SFMNP. Missouri was informed by USDA that the entire funding was allocated to existing programs, and no new programs would be funded. The new SFMNP rule states that only agencies, which participated in 2006, were eligible for funding. Missouri did not participate in 2006.

There have been efforts made by other groups to address the issue of seniors and the farmers’ markets. Washington County Health Department, in collaboration with the local farmers’ market and participating farmers, organized a community wide effort to meet the needs of seniors. The group worked closely together to solicit involvement of businesses and locally funded a SFMNP in 2006 and 2007. It was a rousing success and may serve as a model that other communities/counties might use. If you are interested in learning more about this, please contact Shawnee Douglas at 573-438-2164. She will be happy to share information on what worked for them.

For more information, please contact Randy Walton, WIC Vendor Coordinator at Randy.Walton@dhss.mo.gov or by phone 800-392-8209.

Has Your Market Applied for an EBT/Debit Machine

Time is winding down to get your market’s application and letter into the MDA to receive a EBT/Debit machine for the 2008 season.

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.

For more information please contact Lane McConnell at 573-526-4984 or Lane.McConnell@mda.mo.gov

Calling All Markets

Today, we are in the middle of a huge mailing to all Missouri Farmer’s Market Masters with exciting news.

First, the packet includes an informational brochure about the upcoming 2008 Farmers’ Market Workshops and the registration form that must be mailed back to the MDA. We have already received some registration forms for the workshops.

Second, as part of the Missouri Specialty Crop Block Grant the MDA will be purchasing 19 EBT/ Debit Wireless Machines that will be distributed to chosen markets. The MDA is currently identifying which markets across the state will be eligible to receive the wireless devices. Eligible markets will be chosen through scoring on a Missouri EBT Market Criteria Form that scores markets on subjects such as: city population, unemployment rate, market experience, food stamp participation and funding.

There are only 19 wireless machines available, therefore only the 19 markets that score the highest on the Criteria Form and write a letter that states the market’s commitment to the MDA will receive a machine. Only one machine per market.

To apply for an EBT/Debit Wireless Machine Market Must (all this information will be included in the mailing):
1.) Fill out the Missouri Dept. of Agriculture EBT Market Project Criteria Form (included in packet)
2.) Mail back the completed form, along with a letter indicating that your market understands:
That the market is responsible for paying monthly transactions and the market will purchase the tokens to take EBT payments.
The market will focus on promoting the availability of the EBT/Debit machines within its local community, including lower income areas.
The market will plan to become certified by the USDA if chosen to receive a wireless device.
The benefits your market will receive by receiving one of the EBT machines.
3.) All forms and letters are to be postmarked by Jan. 31, 2008

If you have any questions regarding how to apply or how to become USDA certified please contact Lane McConnell, MDA Marketing Specialist at 573-526-4984 or via email: Lane.McConnell@mda.mo.gov.

Day 2: Blogging from Baltimore

The National Farmers’ Market Summit participants are a diverse group with about every farmers’ market stakeholder accounted for at the summit.

There are a total of 76 participants at the 1st ever National Farmers’ Market Summit. Of the 76 FM stakeholders, 25 are farmers’ market representatives (FM associations, managers, farmers), 26 are community partners (state departments of ag, university/extension, city planning, community development, local NGO’s) and 25 are national resource providers (federal agencies, national NGO’s and private foundations).

To say the least…many of the key state and national FM leaders are here to determine key issues and trends that markets will face in the coming future. This summit’s purpose is not to re-invent the wheel, but to pull all the wheels (FM leaders) together to determine the future of the farmer market industry across the nation.

Today, started with an opening address from Dr. Kenneth Clayton, Associate Administrator, USDA Agricultural Marketing Service and Chair of the Farmers’ Market Consortium. We also heard from Assistant Secretary of the Maryland Dept. of Ag, Patrick McMillian and USDA AMS Associate Deputy Director Errol Bragg.

The participants then were split up for 3(20 minute) rounds of small group brainstorming sessions to identify challenges facing markets.

Some of the main issues I thought correlated to Missouri were the following:

• Price cutting among vendors


• Direct Marketing techniques


• Finding vendors to sell at the markets


• What constitutes a FM


• Food safety concerns


• Vendor/consumer education


• Lack of federal/state funding


• EBT promotion


• Communication among markets

Many of these challenges I hope to address with our upcoming Missouri Farmers’ Market Workshops this winter.

What do you think are the challenges and obstacles that face our FM across Missouri? Where do you see the Missouri Farmers’ Market Association going the next five years? How do we overcome these obstacles?

Leave a comment and let your opinions be heard.

Contacts for EBT Wireless Machines

I’ve received a lot of emails and phone calls from different markets across the state that are interested in looking into pricing options for EBT Wireless Terminals for the 2008 season. Currently, there is only one farmers’ market in Missouri that uses this type of technology – Webb City.

Farmers’ markets that are interested in purchasing wireless terminals (terminals that take EBT, debit and credit cards purchases) need to contact:

Ron Green
EFD Sr. Account Manager
Phone: 800-558-6980, ext. 5007
Fax: 785-832-8914
ron_green@efunds.com

Webb City Market Gets to Business

There is a little secret located in Webb City, located in Southwest Missouri. Here is this small community people meet each Tuesday and Friday to eat, shop for local produce and watch cooking demonstrations from local chefs.

The secret is the “booming” Webb City Farmers Market which consists of around 50 vendors and was the very first farmers’ market in the state to be named Farmers’ Market of the Year by AgriMissouri.

I took a trip down to the market and it was quite a treat. I watched as customers arrived to the market early one Tuesday morning to decide what they would be buying for that week’s dinner. As 11 am neared I watched as the vendors got ready for the flurry of customers and as Market Master Eileen Nichols got on a chair and welcomed everyone to the Webb City Market and rang the opening bell to signal to customers the market was open for business.

The market is run by Market Managers Eileen Nichols, Ron Walters and Marilyn Thornsberry and operates from 11 to 3pm every Tuesday and Friday under the pavilions at the Main Street entrance on King Jack Park and on the 2nd Saturday of the month from 10-1pm in downtown Webb City.

Some of the special features of the market include a weekly Shopping with the Chef cooking demo where local chefs buy produce from the market vendors and then then put on cooking demonstrations for the market audience, nutrition classes for food stamp customers, the 1st wireless EBT and credit card machine in Missouri, a community kids garden that is through the school district, music every Friday at the market from local musicians, Asian/Latino Festivals that includes cooking demonstrations, Fall Round-Up (includes sheep dog herding and kids events), three to four food concessions, and the Webb City Market Masters send out press releases and news alerts via email to local and area press and customers that sign-up for the service.

For more information about the Webb City Farmers’ Market please contact Eileen Nichols at 417-673-5866 or 417-483-8139.

New Technology for Missouri Markets

One challenge many farmers’ markets face in this electronic age is the ability to run sales through plastic EBT cards (food stamps), debit and credit cards. There are more than 100 markets across Missouri that have no access to land phone lines or electrical outlets for their customers that visit the markets. Therefore food stamp recipients are unable to use their food stamp benefits to purchase fresh locally grown food at their hometown farmers’ market.

(Photo: Eileen Nichols "rings up" a customer with the eFunds wireless terminal at the Webb City Market.)

But, change is coming. The eFunds wireless POS Terminal Solution is changing the way farmers’ markets operate.

These wireless machines are allowing food stamp recipients with EBT cards and other customers that might not be carrying cash, but do have a credit or debit card, to buy freshly harvested fruits and vegetables from local farmers in their neighborhood. At the same time this technology helps the farmers’ markets provide fresh food promoting better eating habits and profits the entire community by keeping local dollars at home.

The Webb City Farmers’ Market in southwest Missouri is the first market in Missouri to be tapping into this new way to purchase produce at the market.

How It Works?
Customers wanting to purchase produce at the market and want to use their credit or debit cards go to the market managers. The customer tells the market manager I would like $10.00 on my card. In return, the market managers run the customer’s card (just like any other normal credit card transaction in a store) and give the customer wooden tokens that represent $1, $5 or $10. Then when the customer wants to make a purchase at the market, they pay the producer with their tokens. Customers are given back cash for any change that is due. At the end of the day the producers turn in their tokens to the market managers and receive their cash payouts.

For EBT Purchases
The government restricts how EBT can be handled at the market. Tokens can be spent on any food item except hot food and food you eat right at the market. It can also be spent on edible plants like herbs or plants to produce food like tomato plants. The government does not allow the vendors to give change for EBT tokens. If a purchase requires change, you can pay the whole dollars in tokens and the change in cash or you can pay the full amount in tokens and give up the change.

For more information about eFunds wireless terminals contact Ron Green, Senior Account Manager at 414-341-5007 or by email at ron_j_green@efunds.com.