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COLORADO FARMERS’ MARKET ASSOCIATION
EBT PROGRAM
Made possible by a Farmers’ Market Promotion Program grant from the
Agricultural Marketing Services of the USDA

The CFMA EBT Program was established by a USDA grant to provide wireless point-of-sale terminals which allow Food Stamp transactions at Colorado farmers’ markets. Using funds from this grant, the CFMA purchases the wireless machines and provides them to participating markets, along with support to implement the program. Being able to accept Food Stamp transactions, as well as debit/credit card transactions at the markets’ option, directly benefits farmers/vendors and your market with increased revenue and the inclusion of new customers from throughout your community.

As part of the program, there is one machine per participating market, with a system of paper scrip for customers to use for purchases from individual vendors. Each machine is programmed for only one business. If a market business operates more than one market at different locations but with the same market manager, one machine can be used for those locations. The grant is written for the purchase of thirty machines.

The wireless machines cost around $1100 each and are provided to the markets at no charge for the first year of the program. Because there are fairly complex procedures for implementing the use of the wireless terminals, the CFMA also provides assistance to the markets to get the program up and running, which includes the establishment of a system for processing and tracking transactions, training market managers and vendors in EBT use, authorizing markets for Food Stamp redemption, and providing paper scrip for vendor reimbursement for Food Stamp and debit/credit purchases. Assistance and training will be provided in conjunction with the CFMA Annual Meeting in Greeley, Colorado on March 28, 2008. Attendance at the training is encouraged for all new markets participating in the EBT Program. A travel stipend of up to $200 to attend the training will be available for those markets who have applied and been accepted for the program.

Additional documents are available which provide an overview of the EBT Program, with enough detail that markets can determine whether their organization has the personnel and infrastructure to support the operation of the wireless machine as well as the accounting system to track the flow of money in an electronic program. Each market must also weigh the cost of participating in the program with the increase in revenue and customer base which can be anticipated. Each market that applies and is chosen to participate must agree to accept EBT transactions whenever their machine is in use, and they must require all vendors at their market who sell eligible food to participate in the program.

The CFMA is very pleased to be able to offer this program to farmers’ markets in Colorado, and we hope that many of you take advantage of the opportunity to increase sales and community access at your markets. If you have questions about the program or the application procedure, please contact Sally Haines, CFMA Administrator.

Sally Haines, CFMA Administrator
sally(at)coloradofarmers.org
303-887-5972