Executive Summary
As part of the Homegrown Minneapolis Initiative, the Minneapolis Department of Health and Family Support (MDHFS), through funding from the Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP) of the Minnesota Department of Health, is investing in strategies to expand the availability and visibility of EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) at farmers markets in Minneapolis. The underlying goal of this work is to increase access to healthy, locally grown foods among Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP – formerly food stamps) participants.
In 2010, MDHFS and several community partners, including three farmers markets, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross) worked together to make EBT services available for the first time at the Minneapolis Farmers Market and Northeast Minneapolis Farmers Markets. Program partners also created an incentive program, “Market Bucks”, to encourage SNAP recipients to use their EBT cards at these two markets and at the Midtown Farmers Market, which has accepted EBT since 2006. In addition, funding from MDHFS, Blue Cross and Hennepin County was used to design and implement a promotional and outreach campaign.
IATP has compiled lessons learned from the 2010 farmers market season based on EBT usage data, interviews with market staff and partners, in-person surveys with EBT customers (conducted by MDHFS and Blue Cross), and IATP’s first-hand involvement with many elements of the project. We believe that 2010 was an important year for learning and experimentation and that all of the participants in this work have much to be proud of.
Key observations include the following:
- EBT transactions across the three markets totaled $20,659 in 2010.
- The farmers markets issued an additional $7,127 in Market Bucks.
- EBT transactions at the Midtown Farmers Market in Summer 2010 were more than double 2009 levels.
- Approximately 736 SNAP participants used their EBT benefits at a participating farmers market during the 2010 farmers market season.
- Customers at all three markets expressed a high level of satisfaction with the EBT program.
- Most EBT purchases were for fresh produce.
- Technical assistance provided to the Minneapolis and Northeast Minneapolis Farmers Markets was critical to successful introduction of the EBT program.
- The promotional campaign included paid bus and radio advertising, earned media, and community outreach through trusted community leaders, community newspapers, market signage, etc. Most EBT customers indicate that they heard about the EBT and Market Bucks program through word of mouth or while at the markets.
Key recommendations for the future:
- Identify ways to streamline costs and to assess which types of market settings most effectively serve community needs given their existing and potential customer base, accessibility to public transit, hours of operation, product offerings and price-points.
- Continue funding the EBT initiative beyond 2010 and to decide which markets, program components and technical support to fund in 2011 by no later than early February 2011 so that participating markets and other partners can adequately prepare for the Summer 2011 season.
- Adequately fund the market-level staff time and other direct costs that are required to provide EBT services. Anticipate the need for additional staffing and machines given the likelihood that the volume of EBT transactions will increase in 2011, especially at the Minneapolis Municipal Market.
- Invest in markets that have the strongest potential to meet community needs and to deploy scarce funding most productively.
- Strive to position the EBT initiative for long-term sustainability by securing multi-year funding and further researching mechanisms to provide coordinated support services.
- Continue to fund Market Bucks, if possible, given the favorable response to this incentive program from EBT users.
