More Double Up Bucks Coming To Oklahoma’s Farmers’ Markets

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Studies show that when folks receiving federal food assistance like SNAP get vouchers to double their assistance money at farmers’ markets, they buy more fresh fruits and vegetables. Because many lawmakers and healthy food advocates see this as a way to encourage families to eat more produce, areas across the country are bringing these “double-up” programs to their farmers’ markets.

In Oklahoma beginning in 2015, SNAP recipients will be able to double their benefits at the farmers’ market at 9 locations across the state. Funds for this practice were provided in part by the 2014 Farm Bill, which allocated around 100 million dollars nationally to support these types of programs.

In a local news article, Michael Appel with Three Springs Farms said he was the first farmer in the state to begin accepting food benefit dollars, and that once the state Department of Human Services got involved, the program gained steam. After the introduction of the Double Up Bucks program in 2012, however, the response was huge.

Doubling the purchasing power of low-income families is just one way to increase health and reduce diet-related disease.

Read more about Double Up Bucks here.