• The number of farmers markets accepting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits has increased 40% on average every year since 2009. With affordable prices and special programs for low-income people, markets are expanding access to fresh, nutritious food.
• In 2014, over 5,000 markets and farmers accepted SNAP benefits. Some states that help farmers accept SNAP saw a ten-fold increase in the number of markets accepting SNAP between 2009 and 2014.
• The amount of SNAP benefits redeemed at farmers markets increased nearly 450% from 2009 ($4.2 million) to 2014 ($18.8 million).
• In 2014, 42 farmers markets in Washington, D.C. accepted EBT and credit/debit cards, up from 7 in 2010.
• From 2008-2013, the number of vulnerable seniors visiting the Crescent City Farmers Market increased by 501%.
• More than 1.5 million WIC participants and 835,795 low-income seniors bought fresh produce directly from farmers in 2013 through the WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Programs.
• Of 216 shoppers surveyed at the Janesville, Wisconsin Farmers Market in 2012, 98% said they would eat more fruits and vegetables as a result of their SNAP benefits and 30% said that they had not shopped at the market before SNAP benefits were accepted.
• In 2012, New York City farmers markets distributed over $280,000 in Health Bucks, a health incentive coupon, to SNAP participants. Nearly three-quarters of Health Bucks users reported that the coupons made them more likely to buy fresh produce.
• A 2011 study of southeast and Appalachia markets found that in 74% of communities, conventional farmers market produce was less expensive than supermarket produce, on average by 22%.

– Visit farmersmarketcoalition.org for the source of the above data.

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