Dec 29, 2016

Rule on SNAP promotion at farmers’ markets changed

In 2016, many farmers’ markets participating in both the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive and Farmers Market Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Support Grant programs encountered confusion when they sought to inform area residents that their markets accepted SNAP, due to a prohibition on the use of federal funds for radio, television and billboard advertising.

When Congress drafted this prohibition, it hoped to discourage corner stores and supermarkets from either encouraging SNAP enrollment or using taxpayer dollars to advertise their business. An unintended consequence of this prohibition, however, was that it curtailed the ability of farmers’ markets and local SNAP offices to educate existing SNAP clients on where their benefits can be redeemed. After listening to members of the farmers’ market community, as well as FMC and our partners,  USDA released a new set of rules. The final federal rule concludes:

“The restriction on the use of Federal funds for radio, television, and billboard advertising does not restrict retailers, such as farmers’ markets, from using these methods to provide information about where SNAP benefits are accepted. Similarly, the Department also believes that the restriction on the use of Federal funds for radio, television, and billboard advertising does not restrict retailers from using these methods to provide factual information about their FNS-approved programs for currently enrolled SNAP households, such as fruits and vegetables incentive programs.”

For more information on the SNAP promotion rule change, visit the Federal Register website.

Source: Farmers Market Coalition