Our Food Access Program runs out of the Market Information Booth and allows each farm vendor at the Portland Farmers’ Market to accept SNAP/EBT payments at their booth without having individual Food Stamp licenses or equipment.  SNAP recipients can exchange SNAP funds for wooden tokens and use them as payment with the entire market. We also match SNAP purchases with nutritional incentives (more tokens) known as Maine Harvest Bucks. to spend on fruits, vegetables and food bearing seedlings/plants. MHB is administered by the Maine Federation of Farmers' Markets. 

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The Market's SNAP Committee oversees the program and works to fundraise each year to cover program expenses. Vendors can support our efforts by sharing about the program and our fundraisers to your network, especially Business Friends of the Market!

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Here's how it works:

• Shoppers buy tokens & shop with your farm

• Farmers:

  • and their market staff familiarize themselves with the eligible market payments and what they can be accepted for

  • welcome all shoppers & accept eligible tokens & vouchers as payment

  • redeem tokens & vouchers in a bag with farm name included, at the Market Info Booth (at your discretion when you redeem, you do not have to redeem weekly, but please store tokens dry). 

  • receive reimbursement payments (less 3% on SNAP or Credit tokens) in generally 10 days (payments are made out to the business name on your PFMA application unless otherwise requested)

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Cheat-sheet reference cards are available at the Info Booth.

 

If you are a new farm vendor, please read the information below and complete the Vendor Agreement Form at the bottom of the page. This form must be completed before we can issue reimbursements for tokens and vouchers.

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Please email questions to Jaime Berhanu, Program Coordinator at: portlandmainefarmersmarket@gmail.com