ELECTRONIC BENEFIT TRANSFER (EBT) – FOOD STAMPS PURCHASES
AIM is proud to welcome food stamp households to shop at our all of our 8 farmers markets. In order to participate food stamp participants must receive an EBT card, which operates like a debit card. Please visit our market’s information booth to have your EBT card processed. You will then be able to visit our farmers, ranchers, cheesemakers, and bakers to purchase food items with wooden coins. Eligible items for purchase include: fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, and poultry, dairy products, breads and cereals, and seeds and plants which produce food. Hot foods cannot be purchased using food stamp benefits.
To apply for EBT benefits, click here.
MARKET MATCH DOUBLE VALUE PROGRAM
Beginning on Sunday, August 28 CalFresh recipients who use their EBT card at one of AIM’s four Marin Farmers Markets get double value! For example, for every $10 in CalFresh (food stamps) transacted, an additional $10 in Market Match tokens will be provided, thereby turning $10 into $20 for use at the market (up to $20 per single market day per customer).
Allowed items include: Breads and Cereals; Fruits and Vegetables; Meats, Fish, Poultry and Dairy products; Seeds and Plants that produce food for the household. Unallowed items include: hot, prepared foods and any non-food items.
The following markets are participating:
- Novato Farmers Market (Tuesday from 4-8 pm from May through Sept)
- Fairfax Farmers Market (Wednesday from 4-8 pm from May through Sept)
- Marin Farmers Markets at the Marin Civic Center (Thursdays and Sundays from 8 am – 1 pm).
- Grand Lake – Oakland, Newark, Hayward, and Stonestown markets will begin utilizing the program in late February, early March, 2012.
The program begins Sunday, August 28 and continues until the funds are used, ending no later than Fall 2012.
WIC PURCHASES
AIM is also pleased to welcome WIC (Women, Infants, Children supplemental nutrition program) at our markets. WIC is a federally-funded health and nutrition program for women, infants, and children. WIC helps families by providing checks for buying healthy supplemental foods from WIC-authorized vendors. Participants must meet income guidelines and be pregnant women, new mothers, infants or children under age five. WIC checks can be used to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, and fresh edible herbs. They cannot be used to purchase non-produce foods including honey, nuts, eggs, baked goods, flowers, or dried fruit. WIC checks can be given directly to participating farmers for the produce. To apply to be a WIC participant, click here.
AFFORDABILITY AT THE FARMERS MARKET
“Affordable” may not be the first word that comes to mind when people think about their local farmers market. “Fresh, flavor-packed, high-quality, diverse, and nutrient-dense” are more widely accepted descriptions of the produce, meats, and cheeses you’ll find here. But shopping at your local farmers market can be affordable, it can even save you money – especially if you’re willing to cook at home with the fruits and vegetables that are abundant at the peak of their season!
AIM compared the prices of organic and conventional produce at our Marin Civic Center Farmers Markets to the prices at our neighborhood Whole Foods and Safeway. We’re proud to say that the Marin Civic Center Farmers Markets’ average price on 12 seasonal fruits and vegetables beat Whole Foods (by 61 cents) and Safeway (by 80 cents), not to mention in variety and freshness of product. May fresh and local food be enjoyed by all!
The prices listed below were collected between 9/28/11 and 9/29/11.
Click here to download a PDF version of our 2009 price comparison.
Click here to download a PDF version of our 2011 price comparison.