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 Manger Tent and can then use their benefits to buy food from vendors using wooden EBT tokens.
SUN Bucks—Summer EBT
Eligible students can receive a Summer EBT card with $120. Families can use the card just like regular EBT/SNAP benefits.
SNAP Market Match
When you swipe your EBT/SNAP card at the market, you get a dollar-for-dollar bonus match that you can use to buy fresh fruits and vegetables.
Fresh Bucks
Enrolled customers can use their Fresh Bucks card or app to buy fruits and vegetables at any farmers market in Seattle.
WIC Fruit and Vegetable Benefits
Families enrolled in WIC who receive Fruit and Vegetable Benefits can use these benefits at farmers markets year-round.
WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program
Qualifying WIC participants can receive seasonal benefits—$30 per person up to $90 per household—to buy fresh fruits and vegetables at farmers markets.
Farm Bucks
Farms Bucks are an annual, NFM currency that can be used to buy any farm products, including fruit, vegetables, eggs, meat, fish, dairy, and flowers at our 7 markets.
How do I use my benefits at the market?
Step 1: Bring your benefit card to the Manager 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. Ask how match programs work at each market.
Step 3: If you have WIC or Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Benefits, you can scan the QR code directly with vendors who are displaying the Blue FMNP sign.
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 hot foods. (Click here to see the USDA's info page "What can SNAP Buy")
When you arrive at the market, visit the Manager Tent. We’ll swipe your card for the amount you choose and give you wooden market tokens in exchange. These tokens never expire and can be used at any of our seven market locations at any time. All EBT/SNAP benefits are doubled with SNAP Market Match or a similar match program.
How to Enroll: Visit Washington Connection or call 1-877-501-2233 for more information.
SUN Bucks — Summer EBT
Summer EBT, known as SUN Bucks, is a new federal program providing families with $120 in food benefits for each eligible child. SUN Bucks can be used to buy any foods regular EBT/SNAP benefits can buy.
Just like regular EBT/SNAP Benefits, children and families with SUN Bucks can exchange their electronic benefits for wooden tokens to be used at any of our seven farmers markets. SUN Bucks benefits can also be doubled with SNAP Market Match or a similar match program.
How to Enroll: Visit Hunger Free Washington to see if your child is eligible to receive summer EBT benefits.
SNAP Market Match
The SNAP Market Match program is a dollar-for-dollar match that doubles your EBT/SNAP benefits.
When you visit the Manager Tent with your EBT/SNAP card, we’ll give you SNAP Market Match in $1 increments equal to the amount of EBT/SNAP Benefits you redeem. For example, redeem $10 in EBT/SNAP and get an additional $10 in Market Match.
Use SNAP Market Match to buy fresh fruits, vegetables, and edible plant starts (note that this is not the same list of items you can buy with your SNAP).
Market Match programs may look different at each market. Visit the Manager Tent to learn more about how market match works at that market.
No Enrollment Required
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 fresh, frozen, or dried fruits and vegetables at Seattle Neighborhood Farmers Markets.
When you arrive at the market, visit the Manager Tent to exchange your electronic Fresh Bucks benefits for paper bucks that can then be used to buy fresh fruits and vegetables.
How to Enroll: Visit the Fresh Bucks Website or call 206-684-2489 for more information.
Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program
Through the Senior FMNP programs, eligible and enrolled seniors can buy fresh fruits, and vegetables, and honey at farmers markets.
Senior FMNP shoppers can now shop directly with vendors using the QR code on their FMNP card or app.
Look for the blue WIC & Senior FMNP signs to find farmers that participate in this program.
How to Enroll: Contact your local area agency on aging—click here for Seattle and King County—for eligibility requirements and deadlines.
WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program
WIC recipients can buy fresh fruits and vegetables at any of our farmers markets using their WIC Fruit and Vegetable Benefits and through the Farmers Market Nutrition Program.
WIC shoppers can now shop directly with vendors using the QR code on their WIC card or app. Click here to learn how.
Look for the blue WIC & Senior FMNP signs, and the Year-Round WIC Benefit signs to find farmers that participate in this program.
How to Enroll: Visit the WA Department of Health – WIC Website or call the Help Me Grow WA Hotline at 1-800-322-2588 for more information.
Helping Harvest Farm Bucks
The Helping Harvest program allows food banks and other charitable organizations to purchase Farm Bucks for clients. Farm Bucks are market currency that is used to buy any farm products from our farmers markets including fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, and flowers at any of our 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.
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 Farm Bucks through our established community partners or on your own. Learn more.
