@article{Wasserman:146994,
      recid = {146994},
      author = {Wasserman, Wendy and Tropp, Debra and Lakins, Velma and  Foley, Caroline and DeNinno, Marga and Thompson, Jezra and  Owens, Nora and Williams, Kelly},
      title = {Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at  Farmers Markets: A How-To Handbook},
      address = {2010-06},
      number = {1471-2016-120679},
      pages = {28},
      year = {2010},
      abstract = {The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)  (formerly the Food Stamp Program) is the Nation’s largest  nutritional assistance program and the cornerstone of  Federal Government efforts to alleviate hunger in the  United States and its territories. SNAP benefits are funded  by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and  Nutrition Service (FNS). They are issued by individual  States and redeemable at any authorized FNS SNAP retailer,  which includes an increasing number of farmers markets.  SNAP benefits are accessed via an Electronic Benefit  Transfer (EBT) card that is processed using electronic  funds transfer technology. EBT cards look and operate like  bank-issued debit cards. SNAP benefits are accessed by  swiping the EBT card on a point-of-sale (POS) terminal at  an FNS retailer location and entering a personal  identification number (PIN). FNS SNAP retailers can either  use EBT-only machines, which look like standard commercial  POS terminals and are provided for free by FNS, or supply  their own terminals. EBT-only machines require electricity  and a phone line connection, and accepts only EBT cards.  Many FNS SNAP retailers choose to pay for commercial POS  terminals that accept EBT, debit, and credit cards on the  same machine. Electrical hookups and phone line connections  are not available at many farmers market sites, preventing  the use of the free EBT-only machines. Even when market  managers and vendors are willing and able to invest in  wireless POS terminals, the technology can be difficult to  manage and promote at farmers markets. Operating an EBT  machine requires an FNS license. FNS allows markets to  obtain a single FNS license for all eligible vendors at the  market. SNAP benefits are redeemed using one centrally  located POS terminal; transactions are processed throughout  the farmers markets using scrip (paper certificates,  tokens, or receipts). SNAP customers redeem their benefits  by swiping their EBT cards at the POS terminal in exchange  for scrip, which they can use to buy eligible food  products. This process is similar to one sometimes used for  accepting credit and debit cards at farmers markets. While  it is possible for individual vendors to have their own FNS  license and POS terminal, scrip projects are the most  common way for farmers markets to accept SNAP benefits.  This handbook is a how-to guide for accepting SNAP benefits  at farmers markets. Topics include why to accept SNAP  benefits,  how to install EBT systems at farmers markets,   how to use scrip projects to accept SNAP benefits at  farmers markets,  how to become an FNS snap retailer,  what  equipment is required to accept SNAP benefits at farmers  markets,  and how to make SNAP EBT succeed at farmers  markets.},
      url = {http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/146994},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.146994},
}