13 Farmers' Market Project - Overview
Use of Arizona's Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card at farmers' markets is a collaborative effort. The intent is to help low-income people increase their access to healthy foods while building community and economic assets through FAA food production and distribution.
The Farmers' Market Project provides wireless Point of Sale (POS) terminals to EBT approved farmers' markets throughout Arizona. POS terminals enable NA participants to shop for NA eligible products with their EBT cards. The ability to shop at farmers' markets expands the participants' food choices. Participants also experience the additional benefits of shopping at a farmers' market.
Community Food Connection provides POS terminals and pays for monthly service fees and wireless charges to approved markets. Credit and debit cards can also be accepted; however, service fees for credit and debit cards must be covered by the market.
The following is the process for purchasing products from the farmers' markets:
●The NA participant shops for eligible NA items.
●The vendor writes the amount on a piece of paper.
●The NA participant then takes the paper to the POS terminal. (The POS terminal is operated by the market host or hostess).
●The NA participant swipes their EBT card through the terminal, takes their receipt to the vendor and collects their purchases.
The funds from the purchase go directly into the market's bank account. At the end of the market day, the market manager tallies up individual vendor sales in order to pay the vendors.
The Community Food Connection provides posters for the FAA office lobby and brochures for market locations.
For the web address for additional information regarding the Farmers' Market Project and for a list of EBT approved farmers' markets, see
Community Food Web Site.