We believe everyone should get to eat and enjoy delicious food.
One of our top priorities is to make fresh, local foods accessible to everyone, regardless of income. We work to make sure you can use food assistance benefits at Seattle farmers markets. Our vendors also donate high-qulaity produce to food banks, and we enable food pantries to provide vouchers for clients to purchase produce in our markets. Scroll below to learn more!
EBT/SNAP
Shoppers swipe their card at the Market Manager tent, and then can use their benefits to purchase food and produce from vendor booths.
SNAP Market Match
Each time you swipe your SNAP card at the Market Manager tent, you get a dollar for dollar bonus match, for any amount you swipe.
Fresh Bucks
Eligible and enrolled customers can use their Fresh Bucks card or app to buy fruits and vegetables at Seattle farmers markets.
WIC & Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program
Qualifying WIC & Seniors receive benefits to buy fresh fruits and vegetables at Seattle farmers markets. For WIC clients, there is also the year-round WIC Fruit & Vegetable Benefit.
How do I use my benefits at the market?
Step 1: Bring your benefit card to the Manager’s Tent at any of our farmers markets. We’ll show you how you can shop for farm-grown foods and get more for your money. (We also have a handy visual guide to market currencies here.)
Step 2: Double your dollars: If you’re an EBT/SNAP participant, you automatically get a bonus, matched dollar for dollar, no matter how much you swipe.
Step 3: If you have vouchers from any other program, such as Fresh Bucks, we’ll show you how to use them to shop in the market.
EBT/SNAP
Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT/SNAP) shoppers can use their benefits to shop at any Seattle farmers market to buy anything except cut flowers, alcohol, and ready-to-eat foods. (Click here to see the USDA's info page "What can SNAP Buy")
When you arrive at the market, visit the Market Manager or Information booth. We’ll swipe your card for the amount you choose and give you wooden market tokens in exchange. These tokens never expire. Use them at any of our seven markets at any time. Also, your dollars are doubled with SNAP Market Match (see below). For more information, call 1-877-501-2233.
SNAP Market Match
The SNAP Market Match program is a dollar-for-dollar match that doubles your EBT/SNAP dollars in $1 increments.
When you visit the Market Manager booth with your EBT/SNAP card, we’ll give you SNAP Market Match in $1 increments equal to the amount of market token dollars you redeem. There is no limit on the amount you choose to match: Take out $20 in EBT/SNAP and get an additional $20 in Market Match; or take out $50 and get a $50 match, etc.
Use SNAP Market Match to buy fresh, frozen, or dried fruits and vegetables, and edible plant starts (note that this is not the same list of items you can buy with your SNAP).
Fresh Bucks
Fresh Bucks helps Seattle residents on a tight budget afford more fruits and vegetables.
Eligible and enrolled customers can use their Fresh Bucks card or app to buy fruits and vegetables at Seattle Neighborhood Farmers Markets.
When you arrive at the market, visit the Market Manager or Information booth if you have any questions.
Visit the Fresh Bucks Website for more information.
WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program
Through FMNP programs, WIC recipients can buy fresh fruits and vegetables at any of our seven markets. (You must spend the entire amount of your FMNP benefits during your market visit - we aren’t able to give you change.)
It’s easy to find farm booths in the markets that participate in this program:
Look for the blue WIC & Senior FMNP signs, and the Year-Round WIC Benefit signs.
Options for WIC recipients are explained here. For more information on WIC benefits at Farmers Markets, click here. For info on how to use your QR code, click here.
Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program
Through FMNP programs, seniors can buy fresh fruits and vegetables at farmers markets. (Rember to spend the entire amount of your FMNP benefits during your market visit - we aren’t able to give you change.)
It’s easy to find farm booths that participate in this program:
Just look for the blue WIC & Senior FMNP signs.
If you're a senior who might qualify, contact your local area agency on aging for eligibility requirements and deadlines. Call Senior Information and Services at 206-448-3110 or Community Living Connections at 206-962-8467 or 1-844-348-5464 for more information.
Helping Harvest Farm Bucks
This program allows food banks and other charitable organizations to purchase Farm Bucks for their clients. Farm Bucks are our market currency that is used to buy farm products at any of our seven farmers markets.
This is an excellent way for service organizations to provide their clients with direct access to fresh, local farm produce. Several of Seattle's long-time food banks have been purchasing and distributing thousands of Farm Bucks to their clients each season for many years, enabling folks in need to shop the markets for healthy, seasonal fruits and vegetables. Learn more.
Would your organization like to sponsor Helping Harvest Farm Bucks to increase healthy food access?
The process is easy. Determine your budget and how many Farm Bucks you’d like to distribute then send us an email. You can distribute bucks through our established community partners or on your own.
