Coop Balance Transfer Cards

Winter farmers' market now accepts food-stamp and credit cards

The federal food-stamp program, which has been renamed the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, typically provides individuals and families with "electronic balance transfer" cards, which are used like debit cards to purchase food.

Beginning this Saturday, "market-goers may bring their debit, credit and SNAP cards to the market's transaction booth, where market coordinators will charge their card for the amount requested, and will supply the shopper with wooden market tokens to spend with vendors.

"All vendors still accept cash and checks as well," according to the release.

The market's cooperative decided to accept all three kinds of cards "based on the experience of other Montana farmers' markets (that) participated in a three-year pilot program," the statement said. That pilot program showed that food-stamp users spent more when others were using the credit-token system.

"Presumably, the widespread use of tokens ... helped to alleviate the fear of stigma," market organizers surmised.

The market will use different tokens for debit and credit cards than those used for the food-stamp cards, since only certain items may be bought with food stamps.

The market, in its third year, is held at the Emerson Center for Arts and Culture in Bozeman, two Saturdays per month, from 9 a.m. to noon. There are four more dates left in this year's season: March 5 and 19 and April 2 and 16.

Shoppers will find grassfed meats, goat cheese, root vegetables, greenhouse fare, farm-fresh eggs, seeds and starter plants, artisan breads and other baked goods, jams and preserves, grains, oils and other things.

The new credit-token system is made possible by support from the Alternative Energy Resource Organization, National Center for Appropriate Technology, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services and Community Food Co-op.

For more information, visit www.bozemanwintermarket.com or e-mail info@bozemanwintermarket.