Webinar on Using Bridge Cards at Michigan Farmers Markets

Is your farmers market accessible to all Michigan residents? Can shoppers who have a Bridge Card purchase the fresh, healthy and locally produced food that is sold at your market? If your answer is no to these questions, then you may want to consider taking steps to equip your market to accept SNAP food assistance benefits. Doing so can increase consumer access to the nutritious foods sold at your market, increase your vendors' sales and widen their customer base, and can create a valuable vendor retention and recruitment tool for your market.

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In 2010 1.9 million Michiganders brought $2.7 billion worth of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits into Michigan to be spent on the food they need to keep themselves and their families healthy. The Michigan Farmers Markets Food Assistance Partnership believes a growing percentage of those dollars should be spent at Michigan farmers markets just like yours.

If you are interested in accepting SNAP benefits via the Michigan Bridge Card at your farmers market, join the Food Assistance Partnership for their second annual “Accepting Bridge Cards at Michigan Farmers Markets in 2011” webinar on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 from 9:00 a.m. to noon.

The interactive webinar will cover everything you need to know from becoming authorized to accept SNAP benefits to program administration and implementation, obtaining a point of sale device, record keeping, promotion and outreach, and incentive programs.

Registration is required for the event by Friday, March 18 so don’t delay- Register today!

Register at www.mifma.org.

Contact Amanda Segar at segarama@msu.edu if you have any questions about the event or accepting food assistance benefits at your farmers market.