Farmers market goes digital

Photo: Peter L. McGuire

SMALL MACHINE, BIG IMPACT —  Volunteer Amelia LaCasse shows of the new EBT machine at the Norway Farmers Market. The machine allows people who use Supplimental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits – food stamps – to buy fresh local produce and other food. Customers can also use credit and debit cards with the machine.

NORWAY — Buying fresh, locally-produced foods at a farmers market hasn't been easy for people who rely on food assistance – markets can be expensive and they don't accept EBT cards.

Until now.

Last week, the Norway Farmers Market unveiled its brand new electronic EBT debit/credit card machine.

The machine allows people who use Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to purchase food from vendors at the market.

It also allows people to make purchases with debit and credit cards with a $10 minimum. There is no minimum to use SNAP benefits.

Market Manager Jeanette Baldridge says that the market was able to acquire the machine using a grant provided by Western Mountains Alliance, a non-profit group in Farmington.

Baldridge says that opening up the market to people on food assistance will benefit everyone – people will have more access to fresh, local food and vendors and farmers will have more customers.

Deedee Estes, who works closely with Baldridge, says the machine will also make it easier for people who might not carry cash on them to make purchases at the market.

Making electronic payments at farmers markets isn't unique to Oxford Hills. Markets across the country have been acquiring EBT machines in an effort to expand people's access to fresh, local food.

Shoppers will be able to use their benefits to buy anything in the wide array of food available at the market –  vegetables, baked goods, seafood, meat, dairy products and seeds – but not crafts or other goods.

Baldridge says the Bridgton Farmers Market started using an EBT machine last year and it has been very successful.

Baldridge hopes that the machine will help people eat better and improve health and wellness.

Estes and Baldridge also plan to teach others how to prepare healthy meals with the food they've purchased at the market, by providing recipes and advice to people at the market all summer.

Photo: Peter L. McGuire

Volunteer Amelia LaCasse helps a customer use the new EBT machine at the Norway Farmers Market on June 14.