SNAP Recipients will not be Turned Away from Oregon Farmer’s Markets, July 31

Today, Farmers Market Fund announces that SNAP recipients will not be turned away when shopping at Oregon farmers markets.  While closure of a widely-used Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) processor threatens operations, the farmers market community will receive help from Oregon Food Bank to cover costs of the transition. Serving low income community members is a labor of love for farmers markets.  Processing SNAP benefits comes with federal restrictions which demand meticulous record-keeping and out-of-pocket costs for equipment and processing fees.  Recently, Novo Dia Group, a financial transaction processor contracted with 1,700 farmers markets around the nation, made national news when they announced their closure as of August 31.  This leaves 20 Oregon farmers markets scrambling for a speedy replacement in order to avoid turning SNAP shoppers away. “Hundreds of Forest Grove residents rely on our farmers market each week to purchase their fresh produce and other locally produced food. Our farmers and small business owners depend on that income. Losing the opportunity to process SNAP purchases would hurt our whole community,” says, Kaely Summers, Market Manager, Forest Grove Farmers Market. Solutions exist – but they will have costs for farmers markets.  Farmers Market Fund and Oregon Farmers Market Association have identified a list of processing companies, their set-up, per use and monthly processing fees.