Spring Valley Farmers' Market Opens as First to Accept SNAP/EBT

Keep it healthy and eat local at the same time. The opens today, July 6. This will be the first and only market to accept state issued Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, the electronic delivery method for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—aka the Food Stamp Program.

Here’s some basic information:

• Runs every Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. rain or shine
• Runs through Nov. 16
• Location: Corner of Route 45 and North Church Street, which is the corner of the parking lot below the Spring Valley Post Office
• Rockland County Department of Health will celebrate the market's opening day at 11 a.m. on July 6. There will be free giveaways, recipe booklets and raffle prizes

Spring Valley Farmers’ Market will have an EBT booth all season. All SNAP recipients have to do is simply have their card swiped by the terminal operator at the EBT booth for their desired dollar amount and receive that amount in EBT tokens in return. Tokens will be issued in $1 increments for use with participating vendors throughout the farmers’ market.

Eligible items include:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Meats
• Fish
• Poultry
• Eggs
• Dairy products
• Baked goods
• Jams and jellies
• Honey
• Vegetable plants
• Potted herbs

SNAP is a federally funded program delivering monthly benefits to 28 million Americans nationwide, according to the Rockland County Department of Health (RCDOH).

In 2010, about 10 percent of Rockland residents received SNAP benefits. Now, Rockland Food Stamp recipients can increase their access to locally grown and locally produced food items with the Spring Valley Farmers’ Market's participation in the SNAP/EBT Program.

The RCDOH will also be available to answer questions in English and Spanish about using benefits and fresh produce. Seasonal recipes will also be available to make buying and preparing healthy local food easier for SNAP recipients.

Behind this farmers' market is:

• Community Markets, the operator of the Spring Valley Farmers’ Market: (914) 923-4837
• Village of Spring Valley
• Rockland County Department of Health's new initiative called "Healthy Places to Live, Work, and Play."