Making farmers’ markets more accessible to a larger number and more diverse population maximizes the benefits of establishing farmers’ markets in our community while promoting the values of sustainability. Access to farmers’ markets is often restricted by lack of transportation and their payment method. Other things such as mobility and market availability hours are also barriers to access to farmers’ markets. Locating your farmers’ market within a quarter mile of transit or providing para-transit to the farmers’ market and accepting SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards (a credit card that benefit recipients get to access/buy food under the SNAP) and Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) vouchers at your farmers’ market will increase access to healthy food options for the community while simultaneously boosting sales for your local vendors. 

The goal of this action is to have a farmers’ market that is accessible either by locating within a quarter mile of a transit stop or having para-transit to the market AND having at least one vendor that accepts EBT. 

Why is it important? 

Increasing accessibility to your farmers’ markets makes its fruits, vegetables, herbs and other locally produced products available to a larger group of community members. The increasing demand for both food stamps and markets that are accessible from public transit makes making your farmers’ market more accessible in both ways a priority. In doing so, it promotes healthy eating by offering fresh produce from local farmers’ markets to those who are most in need of healthy nutrition and have had difficulty obtaining it in the past. By expanding consumers’ access to the market where they can purchase locally produced goods, it helps support the local vendors and grow the local economy. It also brings together members of the community of different backgrounds and incomes and can help strengthen the sense of community.